zebra crossing marshals

The Telegraph reports that

Nottingham City Council is to appoint two "zebra crossing marshals" to control pedestrians and keep traffic flowing. They are to be posted at the busiest crossing in the city at lunchtime six days a week.

Sort of like a PCSO for a zebra crossing? Erm no

However unlike lollipop ladies, the marshals' task will be to regulate pedestrians rather than the traffic. Clad in yellow jackets and equipped with two large paddles – resembling outsize table tennis bats emblazoned with the slogan "please wait for buses to pass"

regulating pedestrians with bats?

the marshals are to be paid £14,000 a year.

fourteen grand

shoppers will be expected to wait behind the marshal until it is considered safe to cross the road again."The marshals won't be able to stop anybody; they will be there in an advisory capacity," said Andy Gibbons, the city's public transport manager.

to pay for a non-job.

This is utterly fucking insane. Paying two people £14,000 each to work 6 lunchtimes a week, wearing a high-viz jacket, carrying 'paddles', giving advice that people aren't obliged to follow (but how long before the first fixed penalty notice is issued I wonder) to allow traffic to reclaim the streets from pedestrians all at the taxpayers expense. Are these some of Yvette's jobs?

Installing a pelican crossing costs in the region of £50,000. After 2 years it would have been cheaper and more cost effective.

Ambush Predator also thinks this is nuts .. .. ..


Update: The BBC has a list of handouts to local councils to help the long term unemployed. I wonder if any of the £1,003,832 Nottingham is being given will be used to pay for this?