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Petition rallies to Clare’s cause

28/12/2007

MORE than 1,500 people have joined the fight to keep a popular lollipop lady at one of Rochdale’s busiest junctions.

Clare Vaughan has become an almost permanent fixture between Kingsway, Queensway and Oldham Road, having helped children cross the road for over three decades.

But the council has told her she is being moved to the Queen Victoria Street/Platting Lane junction.

A concerned Mrs Vaughan arrived at the budget cabinet on Monday night to present the petition signed by 1,500 people and make her feelings clear.

"I have been at that crossing for over 30 years," said the 63-year-old.

"Now they want to move me on 18 months before I retire.

"I want to stay with my children."

She added: "The road is more dangerous because we have got two lanes of traffic coming from Rochdale."

Mrs Vaughan was joined at the meeting by her union representative, Noel Roberts, who told the meeting he had grave concerns about the proposed move having visited the site.

"I don’t know if anyone is aware of the new gyratory system but it’s very busy," he said.

He added that the petition had been signed by people from all walks of life, including parents, firefighters and police officers.

The council claim the proposed move will not put the hundreds of children, crossing the road on their way to Lowerplace Primary or Springhill High schools, at risk because of a button-operated pelican crossing recently installed at the junction.

The leader of the council, Councillor Alan Taylor, said the decision was ‘unusual,’ particularly because the junction has only recently undergone a major restructure.

"The whole idea of the work in Oldham Road was to speed up the traffic," he said.

"The new system is still confusing people who don’t know which lane they need to go in.

"I will accept the petition and ask officers to look at the situation."