Parking around school

[Tommy]

Any experience out there of organised school parking? Our school is a big primary, near to city centre with only street parking around it. Parents are always getting into trouble for blocking drives, parking on restricted areas etc and situation is, IMO, potentially dangerous for the children.
I have been set the task of trying to find some solutions (from governing board - I am a Foundation Gov)so I thought I'd see if anyone else has done anything similar - eg any assistance from local council re parking in restricted areas for drop off or pick ups?
Personally, I think more people should walk/use public transport or walking bus but I am a SAHM who lives 10 mins walk away so I appreciate that it's not quite so easy for others.
Any ideas or suggestions gratefully received

LOL Batters - I might drop by on my way to DS's school to have a look at that! Half an hour early? Surely none live very far away?

i used to just shove em out the car - the whole process shouldnt take more than 5 minutes - park up walk them accross road see that they are in the playground then drive off

the problem is mothers who gossip. you know who you are.

Bit late coming back to this, but in response to Kelly1978's concerns, if we manage to set up a walking bus the local council will send people out to do a safety audit (this has to be done before you can even pilot it, I think). The best routes will be identified and any potential dangers identified and rectified. According to the School Travel Advisor this might include widening pavements, lowering kerbs, putting in a rumble ramp (or whatever they are called) to slow traffic down, improving lighting... a whole range of things, that would be beneficial to the whole community, not just the children using the walking bus. How many responses do you think we got to our letter inviting parents to come and find out more about this exciting initiative... 4! Guess it's not going to be happening then! The Travel Advisor and his team came out to the school and did a really interesting exercise with the kids, where they found their house on a map of the catchment area and then coloured it according to how they got to school (walk, car, bus, bike... though it was all the first two in this case as it's an Infant and Nursery school). There were several houses within no more than 2 minutes' walk of the school, and one literally next-door that were coloured to indicate that the kids come to school by car. As others have said, I find it quicker to walk to school and then walk back home and pick up the car and drive to work.

Good post Ellbell. I am biased of course, as I am a Safety Auditor and have worked on many Safer Routes to School projects

Your best starting point is to phone your local council Tommy.... unfortunately switchboard often don't know who to put you through to, but in council's it is always the School Travel Advisor, Safer Routes to Schools Officer or Road Safety (Accident Investigation Unit) or any combination thereof. There is a Safer Routes to School budget, which should only be released upon the school signing up to a Travel Plan, but different councils work in different ways. It's a carrot and stick approach. I have worked with schools whose parents objected to walking 500 yards. Now they have to. It can be a tiered approach and it can be viewed to be harsh, but it is always weighted towards whatever is in the interests of reducing cars around the school.

If you want to discuss further, then I can give you my email if you like? (Otherwise this would make one of the dullest Mumsnet threads in christendom)

thanks squarer - I spent most of the morning yesterday when I wasn't on MN on the phone to the council - various departments but have sent them an email asking if we have a school travel advisor.
I think one of the problems we have is being such a big school (600 pupils in a primary school), an huge catchment and the school being in a built up area near the city centre. Add that the lazy parents brigade and you end up with a load of traffic problems which, it seem, the whole city complains about!
Thanks for all the responses - they've given me lots to think about and I will CAT those who've offered to give me more specific advice. I'm off to wlak around and check out the potential parking spots!

ellbell that sounds really good if they were prepared to make the route safer too. your post has shown exactly what I was saying tho - there are few mums who would get involved - and those mums are prob the ones who don't cause the problems anyway!
hana, I have three to get out of the car, two 9mnth olds, and a three year old who is delayed. It's more than hassle - its a twenty minute job! They are safer and warmer in the car. The car alarm wont go off, I turn it off.

I wonder, if you put lots of double yellow lines down, then the mothers would have no choice but to get involved.

which Council do you come under Tommy?

Religious schools, that's what's at the bottom of this dilemma! Big catchment area of the faithful, rather than admission by proximity!

And gossiping mums, as Custy says.

Private schools can also cause problems for the same catchment reason Blu. That and the 6th formers often have their own transport to add to the general chaos.

parking permitts £20 per term. unless you bring in 2 kids or more. with a strict notice NO GOSSIPING ON SCHOOL GROUNDS

we're in Southampton.
Have been there this afternoon to have a reccy (my DS doesn't actually start there until Sept) - it was a nightmare! People parked on double yellow lines all over the place, parked on the pavement, the lollipop man told me he is not allowed to move people on as he is not a traffic warden. And people were parked up from half an hour before school ends. Not sure if the council will be able to do anything until the lazy arrogant parents who think that the highway code doesn't apply to them change their tune

They can try to Tommy - it's all in School Travel Planning. If your email isn't that successful, I can try and find out who you need to speak to if you would like?

The lollipop man has no powers other than stopping the traffic to allow children to cross (quite a position actually, as the only other people who are legally allowed to stop traffic are Police Officers). You need to find out if your council has decriminalised parking or not. Its much easier to get parking restrictions enforced if it is, but it can be worth trying the traffic wardens as a one off swoop as a deterrent.

well, that makes it easier for a start!

ooh, I'm doing well - the name and number is at the bottom (accident investigation)

• Road Safety, of course, not Accident Investigation

At our school they had an auction of promises and the head agreed to reserve one parking space on the school grounds for a year (parents are not allowed to park on the school grounds normally). Somebody paid £400 for the privaledge, good money spinner for the school but can't believe someone paid that much!

unbelieveable geogteach! Of course, our school has a lot of staff so parking on site is a bit of a premium as well but it's an idea worth bearing in mind.
Thanks squarer for that - the council replied quite promptly to my email and sent me a link to some more useful information as well. Are you local then too?!

No, not local Tommy - I just know what the terms are to google to get the results in this field!

Interesting thread.
Bozza, I was going to suggest on reading yr earlier post that you volunteer to be a walking bus helper on yr days when you can walk DS to school. Then I see you thought of it!

Rain - we love it, walk in good coat and wellies and not wet at all!

Tommy, like Marina (I think) we have a scheme where the local pub (3mins walk) lets people park there. Really good idea.

I was ed the other day to see a woman who lives about halfway between us and school (we have a 10-min walk) driving her kids to school as we walked past. Needless to say we got there first!

We also have bollards fitted around school, new signs on fences by the yellow zigzags, and walking buses some days too.

Geogteach I agree, what's the matter with secondary school kids? The area round ours is always packed with cars at chucking out time, most of the children who go there are either from th eimmediate area or one bus ride away, what's the matter with an 11 yo getting on a bus with their mates?

Sinclair, you're right about the problem in rural areas - but after all, how many of us (are lucky enough to) live on a moor? (apols to all the rural pavement-free posters on this thread).

Oooh can you tell this gets my goat? We jump through all kinds of hoops to walk our children to and from school (3 days a week both of us work but we still do it) so I reckon many more people could than do!

We had this problem at our school and opened the playground to parking. And about secondry schools. One of my dd'd friends was mugged on a bus on way from school. More year 7 children get knocked down than any other age, I'm afraid I pick my children up especially as it gets dark so early and they have to cross a main road.

Is the playground now permanantly for cars?

No!
Its opened at 8.30 till 9.15
Then re opened at 2.40 (after playtime) and closed after school.
If there is an after school outdoor club cars have to be moved by 3.15ish

Clary do you think I should? I might look into it. Would be more exercise for DS and me.