Unfortunately, its very difficult to recruit patrols as it is even with a salary attached. It might work in leafy middle class areas but I would imagine that the disadvantaged areas would not attract the super mums required to carry out the volunteering.

Also a volunteer ststem would not have any accountability to it- at present unauthorised absenteeism can be addressed through monitoring systems and attendance management processes which helps to keep patrols on crossings and provides cover when genuine sicknesses occur. Would this happen with a volunteering system?