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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Primary schools and parking

30 replies

sproutish · 06/09/2017 19:20

Not really an AIBU... more like is there anything I can do?

A local primary (0.3 miles from my home) is situated on a main 30mph road. There's no parking for the parents. Annoying for them, I know.

However every day at pick up/drop off, there are rows of 40+ parked cars along the road on yellow zig zags, as well as blocking the junctions to 2 housing estates by parking too closely to the bend. If you need to overtake the queue of parked cars, it's a leap of faith situation, as the road bends so you can't see the road at the end of the queue and see if anyone if driving towards you.

I avoid driving these routes at these times as much as I possibly can but sometimes it's unavoidable. Today a lady opened her car door and very nearly hit my car which was a turning point for me and I'm feeling less understanding towards the parents having nowhere to park etc etc. Having encountered this on the first day of term!
Other people on FB have said that the parents often tell them to fuck off when they're challenged about parking too close to junctions and so on. (This could be embellished for the sake of FB likes though so I do take it with a pinch of salt).

Pedestrians who need to cross the busy road need to be vigilant at the best of times, but can't see both ways clearly because of the cars.

Does anyone have any success stories about reducing hazardous/inconsiderate parking surrounding a primary school? What route did you take to get there? Did the school help you or just say it wasn't their problem? If it was a school on a housing estate I would be less peeved, but it literally faces out onto a main road where there have been many accidents before, including one with a fatality.

Just looking for realistic avenues to pursue here. More than being annoyed about the inconvenience of it all, I'm genuinely worried that there'll be another accident on this road very soon. Or should everyone who isn't dropping a child off or picking one up just suck it up and avoid this route at busy times?

OP posts:
Original poster
sproutish · 06/09/2017 19:21

Christ that was a long one! If anyone sticks with the most boring post ever long enough to read it, well done Grin

OP posts:
Whosthemummynow · 06/09/2017 19:22

Contact the council and ask them to send a traffic warden down

Amanduh · 06/09/2017 19:23

We've tried everything at our school (and we're the staff...) Tried police but they've limited resources. Zig zags. Staff members outside. Crossing patrol. Letters. It still happens

Ttbb · 06/09/2017 19:24

Agree with the above, the rules are in place and the council would be more than happy to rake in the money for the fines.

HighwayDragon1 · 06/09/2017 19:24

Your local bobby is the best port of call. I complained a couple several of times and they sent a warden out, those yellow tickets made me ecstatic pleased and it's basically not happened since. Win.

Lethaldrizzle · 06/09/2017 19:25

can you not walk to school if you only live 0.3 miles from it?

RandomMess · 06/09/2017 19:26

She isn't going to the school she has to drive past it!!!

Lethaldrizzle · 06/09/2017 19:26

unless you are not a parent, sorry wasn't clear from your post, so many parents drive to school when they should walk, its a real pain

PotteringAlong · 06/09/2017 19:27

lethal she's being affected by the parking when driving elsewhere, not being part of the school run herself.

SheepyFun · 06/09/2017 19:31

One local school have a PCSO outside at home time. He will ticket anything illegally parked (ironically a particular issue is an ice cream van) This has helped. Lots. Not sure how they got them though.

teaandakitkat · 06/09/2017 19:39

Our local council banned cars from some roads outside some schools at drop off and pick up time. You can get points on your licence and a fine if you drive in.

But as far as I can see it's just pushed the problem slightly further away from the school gate, the same number of parents still drive.

I don't know what you do about it either, it drives me insane. I got knocked off my bike last year by a parent driving her kids to school.

I like those bollards that look like children. I imagine they are quite effective. I would put a few of those up.

Our school do write letters to parents reminding them to park safely and think about kids' safety. Sometimes the head teacher will come out and talk to parents. But it's not really her job and I've heard her get some pretty rude responses when she's approached parents. I wouldn't do it if I was her.

The only possible solutions I think are to have a really big exclusion zone around schools, or to maybe have an american style drop off zone where kids get dropped off at the gate. It''s when parents want to park to see their kids into school and wait till the bell rings, that's when there is a problem. But I don't suppose either of these things are possible in most of our schools.

Original poster
sproutish · 06/09/2017 19:39

No I'm not a school-run parent just yet! Thanks for your suggestions guys, I'll look into them all Smile

OP posts:
PotteringAlong · 06/09/2017 19:41

lethal she's being affected by the parking when driving elsewhere, not being part of the school run herself.

Maryof1993 · 06/09/2017 19:43

can you not walk to school if you only live 0.3 miles from it?

READ THE FUCKING POST

CookieDoughKid · 06/09/2017 19:43

Ticketing and penalties as a deterrent although some parents are so wealthy it's small change to them round our school

Maryof1993 · 06/09/2017 19:45

sorry wasn't clear from your post,

I only read the post once and understood it

Original poster
sproutish · 06/09/2017 19:52

Sorry I have no idea why I said "just yet" - not a school run parent anymore!

OP posts:
SeamstressfromTreacleMineRoad · 06/09/2017 19:57

From the BBC News site:
"Car-free streets have been put in place around three schools as part of a pilot project to cut congestion and increase child safety.
Parents parking near Oak Cottage Primary School, Marston Green Infant Academy and Haslucks Green Junior School in Solihull will face fines if they breach it during the 18-month scheme.
A 20mph speed limit for all traffic is also being introduced as part of the plan to make the roads safer for children and reduce pollution.
The no-cars ruling will be enforced at the start and end of the school day."
It obviously can be done Smile

DailyMailReadersAreThick · 06/09/2017 19:58

Jesus H. Lethaldrizzle made a simple mistake, no need for anger. Hmm I hate to think how Maryof1993 copes with day to day life.

Hippiechic · 06/09/2017 19:59

What happens to the people who live on those streets or if they have visitors?

JaniceBattersby · 06/09/2017 20:05

I'm a local newspaper reporter. We've run a campaign for the past seven years to encourage people to park more safely on the school run or, better still, to walk to school. I've been out with photographers and put the offenders' number plates in the paper, stood with police officers as they've ticketed every illegally-parked car, even watched as pupils with placards and banners chanted outside their own school at poor driving. Nothing stops them. Nothing. When it comes down to it, some people simply do not give a shit.

One school has double yellows, a rail along the whole length of the pavement and a police officer at every pick-up and you still get wankers parking who can't be arsed to walk a few metres from the massive pub car park where they are all allowed to park.

The only way to stop them is to have a tow truck waiting to take their car as soon as they park. Not really practical, though.

teaandakitkat · 06/09/2017 20:19

What happens to the people who live on those streets or if they have visitors?

People who live on our streets have permits, visitors or delivery drivers should wait till the restrictions are lifted or park further away. It's only half an hour at the start and the end of the school day.

FanSpamTastic · 06/09/2017 20:30

Yes - it has taken most of the 11 years that the dc have been at primary but we have seen improvements including:-

  • pedestrian lights crossing over busy road (5 years after petitions, local residents meetings, emails to councillors)
  • extended double yellow lines around a blind corner and the school entrances (another 3 years)
  • enforcement from pcso's and tickets on illegal parking (intermittent over the years as budgets allowed).

You need to keep on at the councillor for the area around the school - so you need momentum from the local residents - i.e. The voters!!

It is not really something that the school should get involved in - they should be concentrating on the education of the children. But school has often been supportive in adding their own comments or letters in support of requested actions.

cakesandphotos · 06/09/2017 20:36

Some mums in our village did a massive campaign due to similar issues. Not as many cars but still crazy. They managed to get the speed limit down to 20mph. Which is fine but as there's no way you could go more than that at school times. I second calling the council, it's a hazard to the kids attending the school as well as everyone else

FrancisCrawford · 06/09/2017 20:38

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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