A survey conducted by pupils has prompted councillors to agree that funding for a crossing patrol outside a Chadwell Heath school is necessary.

The agreement for the �4,000 per year safety measure outside Grove Primary in Chadwell Heath Lane came at the area committee five meeting at Barley Lane Primary in Huxley Drive, Chadwell Heath, on Monday evening.

Year 5 pupils conducted a series of 10-minute surveys that counted the number of drivers failing to stop at amber lights outside the school. The total was 111 over three days.

A spokesman for the school said: “It’s not a case of if an accident happens there, it’s when.”

Chadwell ward Cllr Wes Streeting proposed the committee funds the crossing patrol from their budget, which was agreed by all councillors present.

He said: “We have observed behaviour where cars are driving when people haven’t even finished crossing the road.

“Parents sit and wait in their cars to see if their children get across the road OK, which is causing traffic.

“We can’t have a crossing patrol where there are traffic lights, so it will have to go to cabinet and then to full council.

“We would hope the cabinet put party politics aside and change their policy so we can have a crossing patrol.”

Although funding was agreed, concerns were raised by former borough Liberal Democrat councillor Gary Staight who believes there needs to be an awareness of other schools in need of road safety measures.

He said: “We need to be aware that in Chadwell there are four other schools that need a crossing patrol.

“The school on Chadwell Heath High Road [Chadwell Heath Primary] is a great concern and St Bede’s too.”

With funding now agreed, Redbridge highways manager Mike Woodward has warned that the process may not be smooth should cabinet change its policy.

He said: “While I appreciate the need, we have experienced difficulty in recruiting people over the years. We haven’t been blessed with applications.”