Do you got to a school where parents DONT park on the double yellows/up on the pavement etc?

[charliecat]

If so, share your success with me...who and how and what stopped people? Or did they never start?

a narky headmistress letter and a patronising but effective parent governor knocked ours into shape (sort of)

I often have to block people in though

geogteach - similar problem here as well - huge free carpark directly opposite the school and most people park there.

But there are no double yellows outside the school and some inconsiderate people park there and make it very difficult to see when crossing.

The head has sent out numerous letters, sometimes he stands outside and asks parents to move on and not to park there. All is ok for a few days, and then people start doing it again. Now he has put some little road cones to try and prevent people from parking there - not actually sure how legal this is

There is one mum who runs late every day and always parks on the road instead of in the carpark - she looked like a right idiot last week trying to park within the cones!!!

at ds school there is a large free car park at one entrance and round the other side of the school is a sort of countrylane = not many residents and no problem parking. Some people do park in a side road and walk through the car park but thats not double yellowed. A lot of children do walk to school though

TeeCee - how is that?! Are all the people where you live just really considerate?
At DS1's nursery the head of the school did put reg numbers in the newsletter - but they still carried on parking on the yellow zig zags!

Don't know Tommy. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's a Catholic school??!!!! Maybe they are all too Christiian to be so selfish??!!!

I really don't know. There are two entrances, both down small residential roads and as far as I know any problems with the parking only occured early in September with reception mums and that's now been rectified.

I see mums park all over the place and walk the rest of teh way. My DD has specail needs and can't really walk properly yet so we get a specail place in the car park so I get to observe close hand.

They have a huge bike rack and it's always full. The newsletter always prasies the amount of mums walking their kids to school.

There is also a pay and display about .5 of a mile from one entrance that is free for 1st hour and I think some of the mums take it in turns to walk the kids the rest of the way up the road.

Also if the parents park badly the school can be fined and the school take this very seriously and therefore so do the parents.

Eh Enid why do you have to block people?

What gets on my goat is the number of people who habitually drive to school. Just the sheer volume of traffic on the small roads makes it much more dangerous for small children. Also the park right down to the corner which has railings around for the children's safety then a dropped kerb, but there is no space to get a buggy between the last car and the railings. I make DD walk to school now though so less of an issue for me, personally but still lots of others needing to take a buggy.

some people have to drive to school bozza - we live 3 miles from teh school and the quickest route would take us along a bypass with no pavement and then over a motorway junction.

The scenic route is 5.5 miles

On the days I work I drive DD in as I then have to go on to the childminders for DD2 and then onto work.
On the 2 days I'm a home with them in the week I usually walk. I have to leave about half an hour to walk there. It's lovely to do in the summer as I cross a park to get there and back.

I'd love to know how many miles it is actually.

It doesn't seem to be an issue at ds school (he's just started). The school is also promoting a programme to get most of the children walk into school everyday.
It is an issue at the other side of town (where dd's nursery is) where all the private schools are based. It's a nightmare. 4x4 rule between 3.30 and 4.30.....

i guess a lot of non parents feel the same about mums picking up children regardless of the car they're driving - to them its as much of a pain in the arse as the 4x4 is to mums. Everyone notices how much easier the roads are during school holidays

IMO schools should start to think more about how they manage the inevitable traffic. Our rural school has a kiss and drop zone which is a layby where you drive up, kids get out and then you drive off. You are not allowed to park there and 5 car loads of kids get out every minute. If you want to park you have to park elsewhere.

bozza the car aprk is too small for the school (rural school in tiny village) and you cant park outside as the lane is too narrow

so you have to park on school grounds and the head has verboten people parking in approach road as it blocks the coach

so there is nowhere left to park

I could walk and I do on those days where I dont have to get dd2 nd dd3 to nursery and then to work

everyone has to drive as they live at least two villages/towns away

Ah so you all block the car park up basically.

I do realise that lots of people have to drive because they live too far away, are going to work etc. But I also know that a lot of people who live quite close (IMO) to our school drive. One of the Mums on our street sometimes drives. My 2yo manages to walk. That sort of thing. And yes sometimes she is going on somewhere else but other times she is not.

yes I like to walk but not practical when you have otehr drops to make

and too muddy at the moment tbh - dd1 always arrrives for school with mud splattered tights and skirt even with wellies on - I cannot bear this so drive

blame the mucky farmers for my particular addition to global warming

This is always a huge problem at our small village school. Very few children actually live in the village & are in the position of being able to walk to school. Most people have to drive (along country lanes with no pavements) from nearby towns & villages. There simply isnt enough parking for everyone & its a bit of a nightmare that I dread every day What makes it worse is that we have a local school only 5 minutes walk from our house that doesnt have space for my children

And I do drive to nursery to pick DD up. And that is really walking distance. But it takes me 20 mins to pick both kids up and get them home in the car, it would be bathtime if we walked - the round trip would definitely take over an hour - and it is 5.45 when we get in as it is.

At the end of the school road is a free car park but a lot of parents insist on driving and parking right on the school's pedestrian access!

Trying to cross to get into school this morning was a joke, 2 cars parked over gate way and 2 cars coming down the road in both directions (only enough room for 1 due to parked cars) neither would give in and reverse and everytime I tried to cross one would start inching forward in the end I stood in middle of road (lollipop lady style) and saw all the kids over the road safely.

We left the cars to sort themsleves out!!

I'm with Enid and the other naughty driving to school mums.... I don't have much choice 3 days a week although I'd give anything not to have to. It's hell on earth trying to get a car down narrow terraced streets with cars parked everywhere and loads of other harrassed parents trying to park/drop off kids. Thankfully mine are old enough to walk into school on their own now (although I wouldn't let them walk all the way in alone yet) so I can find a safe place to stop and drop them off. I have been to known to park on double yellows very briefly and yes I know it's stupid but sometimes there isn't anywhere else at all! It's that or open the door and chuck the kids out as we're moving. If I get a ticket ..then fine! Can't argue with it but would like them to suggest what alternative I have.

I do get a bit at the number of people who habitually stop on the chevrons out side the actual gates - for ages too.

And as for narky residents - well sorry but I live in the area too and parking is abysmal in the entire ward and I mean abysmal. When I get back from my parents' house this evening after picking up DS#2 I can guarantee that I won't be able to park in my road unless I park on double yellows or park in a different street entirely (not good with 3 kids in the wind, rain and dark). There is no public car park anywhere near the school. Used to use a supermarket car park about half a mile away but the wardens started to patrol there and ticketed quite a few parents' cars. I'm sorry that the residents find parents cars a pita but it's a cross we all have to bear. A bit of charity and understanding would go a long way... The whole thing is just too bloody stressful ......

No problems at DD's school, but it is only small and the finish times of classes are staggered slightly. There is a lot of restricted parking near the school, but you can actually park right outside the back entrance of the school between certain hours, including school finishing time.

On drop off in a morning you either have to park on a side street and pay (only 20p), or chose a street a couple of roads further down and walk up.

There is some limited parking on the school grounds for after school club users.

We have this issue at the moment with my sons new school building.

Two schools which have two reasonable sixed car parks are being merged onto one site...and the council in their wisdon have stated that no parental car parking is now required.

Guess what... the car parks are being sold of for housing to fund the school buildings and govt legislation says that its dangerous to have kids in a school car park.

The solution the council are going for is for all parents to drop of on the road, which just happens to be a very very busy main road!

...don't you just despair!!

We have no choice but to go in the car. School is about 3 miles away. DH drops her off on his way to work. The school is on his direct route and he would be passing that way anyway,s ono extra traffic caused. Similarly 3 days I week I collect DD on my way home from work, again needing no detour from my usual route. The reamining 2 days, yes I drive to school in the afternoon specifically to collect DD, but I park outside the school, not on lines, etc. It is on a main road, but where parking is allowed.

We have staggared start and finished times between infants, juniors and seniors which helps. The school also has it's own car park and plenty of marked parking bays in the road.

We have to drive to school as it is approx 7 miles away, I then travel a further 3-4 miles on to work and the same return journey.

I still see the occasional parent up the pavement though.

One thing I would like to know is why at one of the secondary schools in the town which is one a main route through, there are no double yellow lines at all. Cars park on both sides causing a huuuuuge jam every morning and afternoon. These are secondary school children so old enough to at least walk from a nearby side street where there is no problem parking. I used to have to drive that way to get to my CMs. Madness.