THE CRITERIA
The procedure for determining whether or not a patrol site is justified has been set out below in six parts:

1. Pedestrian and vehicle count
2. Calculation of PV2 rating
3. Comparison with adopted criteria threshold level
4. Consideration of 'Adjustment Factors' and selection of 'multiplier' (where appropriate)
5. Re-calculation and recheck against adopted criteria threshold
6. Consideration of additional facilities (e.g. zebra and pelican crossings where heavy traffic flow exist)

PROCEDURE - PART ONE
Pedestrian and vehicle count

1. A minimum of a one hour classified count should be taken at the proposed patrol site. This should record child pedestrian movements (P), vehicles and cycles (where significant flows of pedal cycles exist).

2. 'Classified counts' record data about the numbers of children crossing at (or near to the site in the case of sites where no patrol is presently operating) and vehicles passing the site over at least a one hour period.

N.B The counts must be recorded as 'light vehicle' equivalent values by using the following multiplication factors:

Three pedal cycles = one light vehicle
Two motor cycles = one light vehicle
One H.G.V = two light vehicles

3. The counts should include all child pedestrians who cross the road at, or within fifty metres of the proposed patrol site at the time of he heaviest vehicle flow (normally in the morning peak period).

Record the numbers of all children who cross the road at (in the case of existing manned patrol sites) or within fifty metres of the site (in the case of unmanned or proposed new sites).
Identify separately children who are accompanied by an adult and those who are unaccompanied.

The national criteria suggests that sites having less than fifteen children crossing the road in the busiest thirty minute period should not be considered for the establishment of a School Crossing Patrol.

Cambridgeshire however has a local agreement whereby there is no minimum number of children required to cross the road.

PROCEDURE - PART TWO
Calculation of PV2 rating

1. All values used in the calculation must be taken from the same 30 minute busiest period.
2. Having collected all the necessary data from the site, the calculation PV2 must be completed. Below is a checklist of the main points to be taken into account:
a. Identify the busiest consecutive 30 minute period
b. Calculate the total of child pedestrians (P) and multiply it with the square of the total number of light vehicle equivalents (V2) from the same consecutive 30 minute period to provide the product PV2.

PROCEDURE - PART THREE
Consideration of 'Adjustment factors' and selection of 'Muliplier'.

1. Where the PV2 total falls below 4 million (Cambridgeshire County Councils adopted criteria) a detailed site investigation should be undertaken to determine any relevant adjustment factors.
2. The adjustment factors quantify the environmental considerations to be used in assessing potential risks at the proposed site. Each item must be assessed objectively and appropriate factors assigned.
3. Once the number of adjustment factors has been decided, the appropriate multiplier should be applied to provide a revised and final PV2 total.

ADJUSTMENT FACTORS

The following highlights environmental factors, which may be the cause of potential risk at sites where a School Crossing Patrol already exists or is proposed.

Some or all of these may be true for the site under consideration. Accurate site assessment makes it possible to check off each of the items on the following list and establish how many adjustment factors should be allocated (factors being assigned according to the level of difficulty).

Using the final total of adjustment factors it is possible to determine a compound multiplier, which is then used to recalculate the original PV2 total to provide a weighted (and more accurate) assessment of the potential risk at the site.

TABLE OF ADJUSTMENT FACTORS

HOW TO CALCULATE THE MULTIPLICATION FACTOR