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AIBU?

To ask if nursery can actually do anything about parents parking on zig zags?

21 replies

drspouse · 21/05/2015 14:45

My DCs go to my workplace nursery which is on private land. The road up to the nursery and the drop off parking spaces are all on private roads (owned by my employer).

There are two sets of spaces, a shorter stay set which are closer and opposite zig zag lines and barriers which are directly in front of the entrance, and a longer stay set which adjoin the short stay set so are not exactly far to walk. Very very occasionally both sets are full.

When the short stay parking becomes full parents pull in to the zig zag area (which is the approach to the short stay parking too) hoping that a space will be full. They either stay in the car on the zig zags hoping for a space, or they leave one adult in the car on the zig zags while another goes in, or they just dump the car on the zig zags and go in.

Parents could in 99% of cases easily park in the long stay spaces but it's an extra 30 seconds to walk and in the very rare cases that these are full it is worst at pick up time (drop off is more staggered) and there are other employee spaces that are usually free less than 5 minutes walk away where other employees have already gone home.

My questions are:

  1. is there anything legally the nursery can do? They say "there's nothing we can do" and just shake their heads and look sympathetic when I point out my DS has a habit of running out into the road and that this is illegal and dangerous. They don't even remind parents via email, there are no signs up apart from the painting on the zig zags, and I have suggested an occasional visit by someone from the security department but they say they can't/won't do that.


  1. has anyone else had experience of a nursery, or indeed a school (though a nursery is more likely to be on private land) dealing with this type of situation effectively? What did they do? I see that local schools have yellow signs up which are really just gentle reminders, but they all have a lollipop person outside who is obviously going to act as a deterrent.
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loveulotslikejellytots · 21/05/2015 14:55

Not sure what the school can do, but maybe contact your local fire station? DH is a firefighter, they have been contacted by 2 schools in our area as parents refused to take notice of the parking rules/regs and were parking stupidly. So stupidly that you couldn't get a fire engine or ambulance through the gaps they were leaving.

DH said they just do a drive by, see if they can get through. If they can't they just put the blue light on and sit there. The parents can all see from the playground and soon come running. Usually to be met by a lovely fireman handing out leaflets about sensible parking Grin.

Try and google the number of your local station (not 999 Grin) if not try mentioning it to the school.

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ErrolTheDragon · 21/05/2015 15:00

They could at least send letters reminding people of the dangers of parking on zigzags. Not sure how effective it would be - the HT at DD's private primary would frequently issue rebukes (generalised, not naming and shaming) about parking issues in the newsletter.

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drspouse · 21/05/2015 15:04

Hmmm... well I don't think they'd want to put a fire engine in the gap (you could stop it just as close to the building not on the zig zags) but they might well want to bring an ambulance in and you couldn't fit it there. In fact I know of a family whose DC was taken to hospital by ambulance from nursery (happily for her, NOT at pick up time).

Thing is, if I call the police/ambulance service then my name will probably be mud at nursery. But maybe this is a step to threaten if nursery won't do anything about it/speak to the security people/even JUST SPEAK TO THE FLIPPING PARENTS.

Given my workplace I also know there are going to be parents who are new to driving in the UK and who may not even have taken their UK test yet or be going to bother so may not even be aware of the regulations. But the mum that shouted at me the other day had definitely spent enough of her life in the UK, going by her accent, to have a UK (rather than non-UK) driving licence.

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drspouse · 21/05/2015 15:08

Just checked and there's nothing in the last couple of newsletters, which are about once every couple of months so that's nothing this calendar year. Not even in the tiny little "reminders" section at the bottom.

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drspouse · 21/05/2015 15:19

OK, I'm writing to nursery to flag up the "remind in newsletter" and "get the security guards to patrol" options and pointing out the "ambulance can't get through" issue (checking with DH as we share an email address for nursery emails so he needs to be happy with something coming "from him").

If I don't see an improvement or any changes in practice I think I will contact the security office myself... and then maybe talk to THEM about the ambulance issue.

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LoupDeLou79 · 21/05/2015 15:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

drspouse · 21/05/2015 15:35

That would be ideal if it wasn't on private land. The equivalent would of course be the security guards who give out parking tickets elsewhere but nursery say that they won't come round. (I remain to be convinced that they've actually asked them though).

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chocolateyay · 21/05/2015 15:35

Same as Loup. Tickets flying like confetti there was...

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toobreathless · 21/05/2015 15:44

They clearly shouldn't be parking there, although I'm not sure what you can do if it's private land . Would the land owner allow bollards?

Saying that I think you need to control your DS! He shouldn't have a habit of running into roads and if he does carry him if feasible?

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drspouse · 21/05/2015 15:48

toobreathless I would dearly love to but I'm already carrying DD who isn't walking yet. It is pretty much impossible, even if holding hands or using reins, to completely prevent DCs of nursery (or even primary or indeed secondary) age to never, ever go into the road without looking properly for cars. That is exactly why there are no-parking zones around schools and nurseries.

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LoupDeLou79 · 21/05/2015 15:52

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drspouse · 21/05/2015 16:16

Now that's a good idea Loup!

I would of course again be That Parent if I did this without consulting nursery or the official security bods who like me are employed by my employer (if you think about how hospital parking works you'll have the picture Wink) but I bet the private company that runs the parking would love to have their greedy little hands on it.

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LoupDeLou79 · 21/05/2015 16:34

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PatricianOfAnkhMorpork · 21/05/2015 16:43

I'd also have a quiet word with whoever is in charge of health & safety at your company, as they will be very interested and will get something done.

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Uhplistrailer · 21/05/2015 17:58

We have this issue at ds's school. I spoke to the school about my concerns, and they put me in touch with the pcso.

We now have a huge banner outside school saying 'do not park on the zig zag lines', there are constant reminders in the news letter and we the care taker is now a kind of 'traffic officer' in the morning.

People still bloody do it! They park in front of the school gates, on the zig zags, on double yellow lines and over residents driveways!! They also stop in front of the school and chuck their kids out quickly. Fine if you're late, but at peak times, when everyone's doing it every 30 seconds it causes a total nightmare!

We've had the pcso round a few times to observe at drop off time, but as soon as they see the uniforms everyone stops parking like a moron.

Im afraid I don't really have any answers!

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RB68 · 21/05/2015 18:13

zig zag parking is a 3 pt offence on the spot. Perhaps a word to the local officer about a money earning opportunity

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drspouse · 22/05/2015 08:32

Right, stroppy email to nursery sent. I'll be ringing the security department in a week whether or not they reply.

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hedgehogsdontbite · 22/05/2015 09:15

The landowner could do something about the parking if they wanted to, but they don't have to. If the landowner allows it then those parking there are doing nothing wrong.

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VacantExpression · 22/05/2015 09:42

Our school sends weekly emails out about the horrific parking, same people every day park there. Even when they get there in plenty of time to have plenty of space on the road where you can park, no, they have to park right by school. Had never seen such selfishness since I started school run driving.

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Collaborate · 22/05/2015 10:14

They can't issue charges unless there is adequate signage. See this link: www.theaa.com/public_affairs/reports/parking-tickets-private-land.html

YANBU though. Parking is banned outside of schools because it's dangerous.

Is it a subsidised nursery? Could they threaten to remove the children of offending parents?

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drspouse · 22/05/2015 15:30

Right, the nursery manager is taking this seriously apparently. It strikes me that all the admin people just have said (4 or 5 times) "we can't do anything" because they personally do not want to stand out in their high visi vests and look stern and they couldn't think of anything else.

The manager first suggested I call Security but now has done so herself, security say to themselves I suspect "hmmm, chance for some fines [there are notices] rub hands in glee" and will send someone at morning and evening peak times!

AND nursery are ordering some signs. And adding it to the newsletter.

So that's a result. And also if parents get complacent or security tail off it sounds easy to remind them directly without becoming a nag to the office staff.

We'll see what it's like on Tuesday!

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