Coffee cups and abuse thrown at school crossing patrollers in Bucks
The Council have re-launched a campaign to help protect the vital work lollipop men and women do
School crossing patrollers, commonly known as lollipop men and women, are increasingly faced with abuse across Buckinghamshire.
The patrollers work at school opening and closing time to help children cross the road and warn road users of the presence of children.
Although the work they do is vital to ensure children's safety, they are regularly faced with abuse, speeding or intimidation from a small minority of dangerous and abusive drivers.
"...school crossing patrollers should be respected at all times and some drivers choose not to."
Deputy Leader for Transport at Buckinghamshire Council, Steve Broadbent, said: "They are vital people who do a great job, a real public service job, that everyone recognises."
"Our school crossing patrollers should be respected at all times and some drivers choose not to."
"Sometimes it can be approaching at speed to try and get through before the school crossing patroller drops the lollipop to cross into the road."
The lollipop men and women often have to deal with drivers in a rush to get through the road, which often comes with anger and frustration.
"There's different levels of intimidation and verbal abuse, some physical abuse, people throw coffee cups out of their window at school crossing patrollers, it really is disgraceful behaviour..."
This can be in the form of verbal or physical abuse, and dangerous driving.
Mr Broadbent said: "It can be wild stopping, they may be revving their engines, and in some absolutely unbelievable cases, people try to drive around the school crossing patroller and that is clearly a huge danger to all road users."
"There's different levels of intimidation and verbal abuse, some physical abuse, people throw coffee cups out of their window at school crossing patrollers, it really is disgraceful behaviour that is in no way acceptable."
"...the possibility of a thousand pound fine, three penalty points and even disqualification..."
If caught, drivers face a range of traffic offences which can affect their right to drive.
"People need to realise that you do have the possibility of a thousand pound fine, three penalty points and even disqualification for failing to stop", added Mr Broadbent.
To help protect the vital work undertaken daily by the 60 lollipop men and women across Buckinghamshire, the Council has relaunched its Respect Me campaign.