The UK School Crossing Patrol (SCP) service celebrates its Platinum Jubilee

1 June 2023

The first known patrol was appointed by Bath City Council to help pupils cross the road in September 1937.

At that time around 90% of children walked to school unaccompanied, and also played out on the streets. Children were advised to ask an adult to see them across busy roads, but the idea of ‘official’ adults to help children on their way to school at points where traffic was at its worst grew.

The idea proved very popular and soon spread to other London boroughs, and as more wardens were appointed the Met Police took over responsibility for the new service. The SCP service was born when the Government recognised the value of having a service that crossed children at busy and difficult locations. The service was officially created by the School Crossing Patrol Act in 1953. The first official patrol started work in 1954 and while the uniform and sign have changed to meet modern standards – and patrols can now stop traffic to cross any pedestrian, adult or child – the role is essentially the same today as it was 70 years ago!

Similar community child safety schemes such as The Mosque Marshalling Teams which won a Prince MIchael International Road Safety Award when established by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council in 2005 have been taken up in a number of areas across Britain.