To think that the school are powerless to solve this? Parking related

[LeevMarie]

Hi everyone - just wondering if this is the same everywhere in the country, or if your DC's school have managed to solve this problem.

DS (almost 5) was nearly run over this morning outside school. The school is at the bottom of a narrow lane with no car parking. We were crossing the road direct outside the entrance and he was on his scooter. I try and instill the importance of road safety, so I make him stand on the pavement, looking around for cars until I though it was safe to cross. We stepped out behind a car parked on double yellow lines on the pavement (the whole pavement is back to back with cars, so no alternative) and out of nowhere came a huge vehicle which resulted in a near miss. I shouted at the driver of the car (not ideal, but I got a shock).

When I was leaving the school, there was a stream of cars and I found it difficult as an adult to navigate my way across the road - kids have no chance.

The school are really trying to resolve the issue. They often send out emails/letters, have a sign on the gate saying that cars should not be driving down to the entrance and even have had a traffic warden on occasions to give out fines. Yet, still, inconsiderate people still keep driving down there.

I don't think there's anything more the school can do about it and fear that things will only change when there's an accident. I've emailed the Headteacher this morning to let her know that there was a near-accident, but also that I appreciate the steps they're taking to try and stop it.

Does everywhere have this problem? Are there any examples anyone has of their school successfully solved a similar issue? There is lots of parking available nearby - I can't help but think it's just lazy, entitled people who think that they have some kind of licence to do whatever they want.

Can they put out cones on the areas where the double yellow lines are to prevent parking there? The local village school near me does that, they cover both sides of the road a good 50m each side of the school entrance in cones so no one can park there and cause an issue. Not great if you miss time your commute and get stuck in the school traffic but a small price to pay for making it much safer! It forces the parents to park further away (in the places it's actually safe to where they should have been anyway).

Is there a path in both sides? It might be worth crossing over before the entrance if crossing at the entrance means emerging from behind parked cars.

I think speaking to the local council is your best bet. In our local area we have something the council has introduced called “school streets”. It means certain sections of roads can be closed at school drop off and pick up times. Our school is currently applying because like yours, despite constant messaging from the school, a number of selfish, entitled parents feel they have the right to drop their previous darlings right at the doors to school, despite there bring ample parking on neighbouring roads.

Is there anything else along that narrow lane which requires access?
Why can’t the school put a gate up and have a janitor open it when something needs to be delivered to the school.

Contact the local authority and/or governors.

Stating the obvious but a 4 Yr old shouldn't be on a scooter next to a road if its as chaotic as you suggest, he should hold your hand to cross.

Secondly, all the First schools around here have a lollypop person outside, could you ask the school if this is possible?

Ring the council and ask advice yourself , the school has no special powers, get other parents to do the same
Get the volume of complaints up

I hate comments like this one "their previous darlings" it's not the kids fault their parents are being dicks

We sometimes have teachers (including the head) out in high vis talking to parents parking incorrectly. Not sure if it makes that much of a difference.

Our school has had double red lines painted on some nearby areas (obviously the council did it, but the school were in discussions with them about it because of people parking dangerously). The traffic wardens come round and check no one’s parking there.

Could the school speak to your local council/highways agency and see if this might be an option?

Cones sounds like a good idea

At a school near here a governor takes photos of illegally parked cars and forwards them to the police who issue fines.

Works like a charm.

Forgive the typo - I meant “precious” not previous. I don’t know what you read in my comment that suggested for a moment that I was blaming the children. I was patently criticising the way some parents seem to think they and their children are more important than everyone else’s.

As mentioned by a PP our school have a 'school street' in place. Signs and an APNR system that prevent people from driving down the street to the school - or rather they might still do it at first but tend to stop once they are fined by the council! There are exemptions for blue badge holders and people who actually live on the street.

Of course this has just pushed the problem slightly further back and now people compete for how close to the school street they can park 😩 but it has helped.

When our school had problems like this they had two local PCs/PCSOs on the road moving people on. They only had to do it a couple of times.

Any solution is going to have to be thought up locally, as what works will depend on the exact geography. But the idea of closing streets to traffic is catching on (and the means to enforce it, with ANPR), so don't be afraid to suggest it.
Here's an article about school streets:
https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/traffic-ban-outside-cambridge-school-24469357

State schools near us have yellow zig zag lines so that there is a clear line of sight near the school. A few doors down is a private school which has the added complication of a junction in front of it. As residents we’ve asked the council to put zigzag in front of the private school and they’ve refused so twice a day when we leave to go to another school/car journey we have the same issue of children being stood between cars not being seen. Lorries driving down the road etc.

Thanks everyone. I'd never heard of the School Streets scheme before, but from a quick Google, I see that there is a pilot scheme operating in another school in the area. I'll ask the local Councillors to see if they can put some pressure on to have this instated here. Nothing seems to happen with any speed around here - the Local Authority are notorious for dragging their heels with this type of thing, so the more people I can get to engage with the Councillor, the better.

The Headteacher can often be seen at the bottom of the lane, but the school is on a dead end. Once she sees the rule breakers, they've already driven down there and parked up. Some people honestly have no shame at all. If I was cornered by her for my parking, I'd be mortified, but many just don't seem to care.

Cones would definitely be a good start - I'll suggest doing this.

@CwmYoy I love this! If I didn't have to be at work, this would be me with my camera and hi-viz jacket!

A couple of the schools near us which are off the same busy road have lollipop ladies. Could you try speaking to the council?

I think it's the same everywhere. Trouble is that even with double yellows, zig-zags, cones, etc., you need the police or local council parking wardens to enforce them, and they usually just come down once or twice after prolonged complaints/campaigns and then disappear again. Fining is apparently difficult on double yellows as there has to be a "period of grace" of a few minutes, during which time, if the driver comes back, the "ticket" can't be given. Then of course, there's the argument between police and council and to which of them is responsible for parking violations - they usually say it's the other! PCSOs are apparently unable to deal with it other than giving advice, which of course, the drivers just ignore!

We had the same problems with our village primary school for all of the 26 years I've lived in the village. Nightmare traffic, speeding parents, parents abandoning their cars on double yellows, zig zags, junctions, driveways, etc. Nothing worked. The school eventually just closed and locked the main gates (opening to the main road), and now all the children have to enter/leave the school via the back gates across the playing fields, onto minor roads where there's a small car park and more on-street parking, but the whole area back there isn't on the main road, so a lot safer and quieter, no lorries, etc. Seems to have done the trick, but now lots of complaints from parents who have to actually walk further to the back gates - literally just a few minutes, but obviously they're just too lazy and preferred to abandon their cars within a few feet of the main gates causing traffic mayhem!

The real answer is proper enforcement - someone should knock the heads together of the local police and council and get them to agree to actually dealing with the congestion and fining people rather than just fobbing off to eachother!

I have complained several times about a school near me, the parents double park on double yellows, park on red routes and on peoples drives, I have contacted the school and the council, but nothing is done. I pass this school regularly and how no one has been killed,I don't know? There should be a parking attendant round there at school times.

We have lollypop ladies as our school is on a busy road. They don't have any powers to move people on or stop them parking. It's quite a hazardous job. I can't see the council funding a lollipop person (ours are ladies and both lovely) for a dead end lane.

Our local primary school has similar issues and has just invested in 5 or 6 of these that they've put all along the road that the school is on: https://www.cestriansigns.co.uk/school-no-parking-pavement-sign-alivia/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9Jn3-o3Z_wIVE753Ch2M5wn7EAQYBCABEgLDvPD_BwE (they can be customised too to match your school uniform 😁)

You describe the vehicle as 'huge' but you didn't see it? And it can't have come 'out of nowhere'. Why shout at the driver because you didn't see their huge vehicle?

Some schools in the city I live in have designated “school streets”. It’s been really successful.

On school days, the streets outside school are closed to traffic in from 8-9:30am and 2.30-4pm.
During those times traffic isn’t allowed to drive through those streets and people can’t park for the school. Residents and blue badge holders still have access to the street but other traffic has to use alternative routes between those times.

I’d contact local cllr ours is really trying to come up with a solution for our village and is working with the council.

Our school had the same setup. In the end, the council stepped in and instituted a “School Street”, so no access 8:30-9:30 and 2:30-3:30 for anyone except residents and blue badges. It works great.