“It’s The Job Of The Council To Stop My Kids Running Into The Road!”

Ummmm, no. It’s your job. You’re the parent.

Hichame’s father, Hamid, 49, welcomed today’s patrols, but urged TfL to also reinstall barriers that were removed from the road before his son’s death.

He said: “Having a lollipop lady there is very important but it needs to be permanent and we also need speed bumps, new barriers and signs saying there are schools nearby to warn drivers.

“It’s such a busy road and this patrol is just there for short time in the mornings and afternoons, but at least there’s someone there.

“I just hope the council find the extra funding to keep it and they must work with TfL to improve safety.

“Without these measures, kids will jump in the road, look what happened to my son.”

So, what happened to your son?

Hichame was holding his mother’s hand when he broke free and dashed onto a busy one-way street near a pedestrian on an exit road from Elephant & Castle roundabout.

Has no-one in this family heard of reins? Have they fallen out of favour, as a result of the ‘My children must be free to express themselves’ brigade?

It's not like they weren't aware of the dangers of the road, is it?

"I was always scared of that road," says Mr Bouadimi.

"Most of the drivers drive fast, and if the police put a camera there they would see it. The school is very close to the main road, and I don't know who was the clever man who made the decision to take away the barriers. It's really upsetting to be honest with you. My son is gone but I'm really worried. There has to be a camera and a flashing sign showing kids coming out from school, at least at 9 o'clock and 3.30.

It's not complicated to do, it's just a sign. I don't want anybody else to experience what I've experienced."

Sorry if I sound heartless, but most of my sympathy is going to the lorry driver who was part of an unnecessary accident caused by someone else’s carelessness.

The driver, 46, of the flat-bed lorry was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and bailed by police until January.

I wonder if it’ll go forward, or be quietly dropped? Given the kid dashed out into the road, what more could he possibly have done?

Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling, said: “We do not want anyone crossing that road to feel unduly anxious or have heightened fears or anxiety.

“While this is only temporary measure in response to a tragic situation, there will be local funding available which can be used to secure a patrol for the longer-term.”

It’s not the job of councils to ‘alleviate anxiety or worry’, or to try to work out ways in which the population can take increasing risks without suffering any consequences!

And why does no-one seem to want to point out that this family's tragedy was, in most part, down to their error? I mean, as Very British Dude's experience at the swimming baths shows, some people have no trouble raising Cain over highly unlikely 'child endangerment', yet the preventable death of a toddler seems to render the family immune to all criticism.