A LOLLIPOP lady recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list is to be made redundant after the council chose to press ahead with controversial plans to cut ten school crossing patrols.
Last Friday June Rixson, 80,was awarded a British Empire Medal for 36-years as a lollipop lady in Shirley Road.
Less than a week later she was one of nine lollipop men and women who were told on Wednesday they are to be made redundant.
"I shall be very sorry to go but I've had a great run," she told the Advertiser.
"It doesn't affect me quite as much as some of the younger ones because of my age. I'm 80, maybe it's the right time.
"But I'll miss the mums and watching the children grow up. That's what's really sad, they become part of your life."
Mrs Rixson's patch near Shirley Road is one of ten patrols which will be axed to save £60,000 a year, the council confirmed today (Friday).
The proposals met with opposition from pupils, parents and head teachers at the affected schools, and prompted a campaign by the Advertiser to save them.
Mrs Rixson became a lollipop lady in 1978, when the service was managed by the police.
This afternoon she told the Advertiser she held no hard feelings over the council's decision.
"I had already made up my mind that this would probably be my last year," she said.
"I had known for a while that it was going to happen. In a way I'm relieved. It's worked out quite well for both sides."
Mrs Rixson's crossing is used by pupils from St John's Primary CofE Primary School, Shirley High, Bensham Manor and Edenham High.
"The difficult part for them will be what happens next and whether the school gets someone else," said Mrs Rixson.
"It's a busy road which can be quite dangerous, but let's put it this way: the lights are there and if the children use it properly they should be alright."
Mrs Rixson, like the other affected lollipop men and women, will continue in her role until the end of the term.
"It will be emotional," she said. "I had planned not to tell anyone until a few days before I was due to go.
"I suppose you could say I'm going out on a high. I'm very proud to be on the Honours list.
"But to me it's one of those things. I don't want a lot of fuss, I'd like to fade out of the picture."
A Croydon Council spokesperson said: "We didn't take this decision lightly and it was only after thorough examination of the results of risk assessments that we finally reached our conclusions.
"All of the crossing patrols that are being ended are in places where there is a zebra crossing or traffic lights and our rigorous risk assessment against national criteria showed these to be safe without a crossing patrol.
"Parents and teachers understand the importance of ensuring children have the right life skills to ensure they stay safe when out on their own, and our road safety team continues to work closely with all the borough's schools."
The patrols, which are all on zebra or automated crossings, are:
- Oasis Academy Shirley Park, Long Lane, Addiscombe
- St John's/Shirley High, Shirley Church Road, Shirley
- Park Hill Junior School, Stanhope Road, Croydon
- Broadmead Junior School, Sydenham Road, Croydon
- Broadmead Junior School/The Crescent, Northcote Road
- Woodside Junior School, Morland Road, Woodside (two patrollers)
- All Saints CofE Primary School, Upper Beulah Hill, - Upper Norwood
- Aerodrome Primary School, Goodwin Road, Waddon
- Elmwood Junior School, Lodge Road, Croydon (currently vacant).
