Page 6 | How to broach this school run traffic problem

JenniferBooth · 2023-09-15T20:02:32+00:00

i live opposite an infant/junior school. For the last 29 years. The traffic is a nightmare. Has been steadily getting worse over the last five years particularly the last two. Todays normally ten min bus journey at 3.30pm took TWENTY FIVE minutes. The bus driver could see that the three cars in front of him had ONE parent and ONE child in it. Ludicrous. Been living here 29 years and it never used to be like this. Im going to ring the Head and ask him if he can ask the parents to carpool or something. But ive already been told this is a stupid idea so what do i do.

sashh · 17/09/2023 07:40

Suggest the school do a 'walking bus'.

Children collected from home in hi viz jackets with adults to walk them to school.

BonnieLisbon · 17/09/2023 07:44

I use public transport loads, but given the amount of men I see driving around on their own I'm not a fan of parents in particular being blamed. You've said parents but I've seen mum drivers being criticised a lot on social media. Never seen men driving on their own being criticised.

WeWereInParis · 17/09/2023 07:44

Your post proves my point about the selfishness of parents

It's not about being selfish, it's just a fact that a lot of people don't have enough time between the time school starts and the time they need to be at work to allow them to walk the school run.

I walk DD to school so this isn't me just being defensive. I think everyone should walk their child to/from school where possible. But it just isn't always possible.

eurochick · 17/09/2023 07:59

SofiaAmes · 16/09/2023 18:23

Here in the US (or at least in Los Angeles), all our elementary schools have what we call a "kiss and drop." Cars line up at a designated school gate and the Parents volunteer to help the children out of the cars and escort them into the gate. No one has to park, and the line of cars moves quickly and SAFELY past the school and the whole thing takes 20 minutes to get hundreds of children into the school. Same thing in the afternoon when they get out (takes a little longer, I think). When I lived in London, we lived opposite a private Japanese school and they had the same system. At the time, I tried to suggest to the local primary in London where my ds attended for nursery to do this and they just kept saying "it will never work because that's a private school." At that point I didn't realize that this wasn't just a Japanese private school's idea and that it was standard in the US at all the state schools (and private).

They have the same system at my child's independent school in the U.K. too. No one has to park. There is a rolling drop off and pick up.

MadeFrom100percentPears · 17/09/2023 08:41

The smugness of people going on about how they can cycle to work so everybody else should! How am I supposed to cycle with two children who need to go to different places, are slow cyclists and need supervision, one of whom is one so can't cycle, plus their school bags, plus my own equipment for work and all before 8.45! Hilariously blinkered suggestion. Not to mention that the majority of the route is country B roads which will never have a cycle lane on them or even a pavement to walk on.

WhatNoRaisins · 17/09/2023 08:43

Like many eco issues there's little to be gained by whinging at the individuals. We need to look at why people have to make certain choices. Inflexible work and different safety standards for children aren't individual choices and they are what's influencing this.

madamreign · 17/09/2023 08:56

SofiaAmes · 17/09/2023 02:40

@madamreign Is that because it works, increases safety and reduces traffic jams, and makes it possible for working parents to get their kids to school or because you don't like things that are unfamiliar or foreign?

No, because it's literally encouraging traffic.

madamreign · 17/09/2023 09:02

HoppingPavlova · 17/09/2023 02:57

People can be very selfish especially around the “safety” of their children. They’ll put other people’s safety in jeopardy eg air pollution from their cars

It’s not so much that these days, but rather kids are dropped off/picked up on way to/from school. People now wfh and do school run and need to be back quick smart, or one parent drops on way to office and the other parent having started earlier picks up on way back from office. Covid has meant more flexible working arrangements Post-Covid for many. This does however mean that it’s not possible for most to walk kids to/from school as doesn’t fit with work, can’t carpool as doesn’t fit with work etc. It won’t change now, so just a case of accepting it.

In urban areas (not people who live rurally) wfh is a brilliant solution to this. There are quite a few parents at our school who regularly wfh (me included) and none drive home. School is close enough to walk in 15 minutes so why would you? Driving (including parking etc) would probably take longer.

All this back to the office bollocks is bad in so many ways. More people at home the better.

Ikeepmybumcheekshidden · 17/09/2023 09:31

DivingForLove · 15/09/2023 22:13

Far too many kids are driven to school nowadays unfortunately and it won’t change - certainly not anything the head can do. People have become very lazy - and also believe their kids can’t walk far. I’ve been in education for over 20 years - it gets worse every year 🤷‍♀️.

And many of us have disabilities! We don't all have the luxury of living within walking distance either!

AmongstTheCosmos · 17/09/2023 09:56

@madamreign this whole thread is moaning about traffic and congestion which is already in existence. The rolling drop-off/pick up would really help to reduce congestion because the traffic would continue to flow. It works. We also do it at my daughter's prep school and the school run is much less stressful for everyone and no huge queues of traffic or antisocial parking problems.

madamreign · 17/09/2023 10:13

AmongstTheCosmos · 17/09/2023 09:56

@madamreign this whole thread is moaning about traffic and congestion which is already in existence. The rolling drop-off/pick up would really help to reduce congestion because the traffic would continue to flow. It works. We also do it at my daughter's prep school and the school run is much less stressful for everyone and no huge queues of traffic or antisocial parking problems.

Traffic and congestion can be alleviated. What you're suggesting is encouraging it and, discriminates against those who cannot drive or afford two cars.

We're not a different species to the Dutch, Parisians etc.

AmongstTheCosmos · 17/09/2023 10:22

I don't know why a rolling drop off is discriminatory to people who can't afford two cars. The whole point is that is quicker and easier, therefore meaning people are in their car for less time.

You don't get people to do what you want by punishing them. Make the alternatives genuinely easy and attractive, and people will start doing them.

In the meantime, a pragmatic approach to reducing congestion around schools by organising drop offs to maintain traffic flows would benefit everyone; quicker, less stressful drop offs, less gridlock, reduced air pollution. But people are ideologically opposed to making parent's lives easier so everyone will continue to suffer. 🤷‍♀️

mondaytosunday · 17/09/2023 10:51

Not allowed to drive down the block that has a primary on it during drop off collection times. Most people walk as it's a small catchment area anyway, but that might be something you propose to the council? You could walk to the bus stop beyond the school in the short term.

BelindaBears · 17/09/2023 10:53

Approach your local councillors. Is it a main road or is a school street an option? (A road that is closed to non-residents at certain times, designed to prevent any school run traffic using it).

AmongstTheCosmos · 17/09/2023 10:55

Local councillors (if sensible) will also need to bear in mind that school run parents are also voters...

supersonicginandtonic · 17/09/2023 10:57

@madamreign there are lots of jobs that can't be done from home. Neither mine or my partners.

BelindaBears · 17/09/2023 10:58

AmongstTheCosmos · 17/09/2023 10:55

Local councillors (if sensible) will also need to bear in mind that school run parents are also voters...

And you’d think parents would want to improve safety and air quality outside their children’s school.

henrysugar12 · 17/09/2023 11:05

DivingForLove · 15/09/2023 22:13

Far too many kids are driven to school nowadays unfortunately and it won’t change - certainly not anything the head can do. People have become very lazy - and also believe their kids can’t walk far. I’ve been in education for over 20 years - it gets worse every year 🤷‍♀️.

It's not all people being lazy! Some of us have to work and the only way to get to work on time is by driving. If I walked the thirty minutes back from school after dropping my child off that would make me late for work and then I'd have to stay later and not pick up my child on time.

AmongstTheCosmos · 17/09/2023 11:10

@BelindaBears yes definitely! Some sensible and pragmatic suggestions upthread which would definitely do that. 👍 (And wouldn't make working parents lives harder at the same time. Win win!)

Seeline · 17/09/2023 11:10

OP if your bus ride should only take 10 minutes then why don't you walk instead of moaning about a 25 minute delay?

FarEast · 17/09/2023 11:12

THe OP may not be able-bodied. Certainly @JenniferBooth mentions that her DH uses a wheelchair.

DanceMumTaxi · 17/09/2023 11:19

The Head has absolutely no control over what happens on public roads. I also live near a school and people are constantly emailing and calling to complain about parking. Residents have got rid of their front lawns to have more driveway space, but only have a single drive dropped kerb. This means people get blocked in where there isn’t a dropped kerb. They’re always on at the school to do something, but other than put it in the news letter, asking people to park considerately, there’s no much else they can do. The head teacher has absolutely no power to enforce parking, just like they have absolutely no power to enforce carpooling. They can ask, but it probably won’t change anything. A lot of people drop off on their way to/from work or children’s activities. People have busy lives and don’t want the hassle of sharing lifts. Just one of the hazards of living near a school. It’s really quiet the rest of the time and at weekends.

madamreign · 17/09/2023 11:20

supersonicginandtonic · 17/09/2023 10:57

@madamreign there are lots of jobs that can't be done from home. Neither mine or my partners.

Yes, and lots can.

madamreign · 17/09/2023 11:24

AmongstTheCosmos · 17/09/2023 10:22

I don't know why a rolling drop off is discriminatory to people who can't afford two cars. The whole point is that is quicker and easier, therefore meaning people are in their car for less time.

You don't get people to do what you want by punishing them. Make the alternatives genuinely easy and attractive, and people will start doing them.

In the meantime, a pragmatic approach to reducing congestion around schools by organising drop offs to maintain traffic flows would benefit everyone; quicker, less stressful drop offs, less gridlock, reduced air pollution. But people are ideologically opposed to making parent's lives easier so everyone will continue to suffer. 🤷‍♀️

1: we have to breathe your pollution.

2: heavy traffic is dangerous to pedestrians

3: heavy traffic is dangerous to cyclists

4: heavy traffic wears out the roads which we all pay for

5: kids being driven everywhere is contributing to population level obesity and ill health. We all pay for this.

Mrburnshound · 17/09/2023 11:28

A rolling drop off seems to work well in other countries but I dont know how it would work space wise here.

DS goes to the school on his EHCP so i have to drive due to distance, i walk DD to hers and it's much easier and less stressful not worrying about traffic. Unless awful rain I wouldn't think parents drive for the fun of it, esp in london where driving is not at all fun!

How to broach this school run traffic problem

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