for the 2nd time in a year a kiddie has been knocked down outside dds school...

[charliecat]

do you think they will still be parking on the double yellows in front of the crossing tommorow??

Yes, they will

Is the child going to be ok do you know?

dont know :( went off in an ambulance. Reception age boy :(

Maybe call the local police and ask them to send some wardens around for the next few days to try and reinforce the parking restrictions ? If it's an accident spot, a locla councillor might be able to lobby for a road safety investigation and have improvements suggested.

they do send wardens once every few weeks. 2 0r 3 people get tickets, the others drive away and they are back there the next day. EVEN WHEN there is parking spaces, legal on the other side of the road I did wonder if putting those barriers all the way along the (very straight) pavement might deter them as the buses wouldnt be able to get through and they would need to move, but ive a funny idea it would just cause more chaos then move people revving off in a temper coz they have had to move..
people shoot through the noticable zebra crossing as if its not there.

:( Hope he's OK.

Do you not have a Lollipop Person charlie? Ours has not only a lollipop but a little black book and she notes all parking and traffic infringements down and dobs the drivers in to the police and the parkers to the school...

lollypop person is at the speedy speedy crossroads after the zebra

Poor kid. Hope he or she is ok.

We have tight parking too, but most people seem to park ok. But there are always the few who think it's ok to drive into the school grounds.

It's made clear by the school not to do this but in they still come. Obviously ok for those with disabled badges, but I haven't seen any with a badge. Makes me fume

i hate parents who park on yellow lines outside schools they make me so
do hope the child is ok

The school has put 2 signs outside saying about the parking and cones to stop them driving in.
One day a taxi dropping off kids came into the school playground and proceeded to get the kids out and another dad walked upto him and said Can you not read, No Parking in the school grounds...dont know what the other bloke said but the walking dad picked up the cone and stuffed it in the back seat of the taxi
Was rather amusing to watch although next time not in front of the kids.

you should contact THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY in your area.

after a certain number of incidents ( yes they wait for incidents) you and some other parents could call them to a meeting at the school and ask them what can be done.

they will give you some shit about it costing lots of money - about already have ing a crossing nearby when other places havent got crossings at all.

you have to make you case, think it out thoroughly, go to the newspapers, councillors, MP

badger the council about getting more wardens round.

get the school to put it in the newsletter.

I think you should get on to the head teacher about it. At my DSs pre-school, we had similar problem and the head teacher stood outside at drop off and pick up time and moved on anyone who was parking on the zigzags/double yellows and not locking the gates after them. She's a fierce old dragon mind.

maybe you could have traffic monitors. note the names of parents who dont give a shit and publish in newsletter - parents will give a shit then as school is such one up manship for parents.

Expel the regular offenders! Not joking - if they put the lives of other children at risk, their kids lose their place at the school.

Charliecat - this is the kind of work I used to do.
Phone your local council to see if they have a Safer Routes to School team (sometimes part of Road Safety - they have a seperate budget where accidents don't need to feature, but the school has to play a large part as there is a carrot and stick approach).
Unless you have a certain number of reported injury accidents in the area outside the school, Road Safety are unable to get involved due to justification issues. Exactly what (I think) Custardo picked up on - yes, they really are waiting for an accident to happen - they don't want to, they just have to.
You could ask the council to get Road Safety Education involved.
If you need to know any specifics, please let me know.

squarer, were you an rso? I used to work in centr govt on that campaign.

charliecat if the local council can't help and don't have enough road safety officers show \link{http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/advice/teachers.htm\these lesson plans} to the teachers, they might take this opportunity to start teaching road safety to the kids

this is information about \link{http://www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk/index.php\safe routes to schools}

inforamtion on \link{http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_susttravel/documents/page/dft_susttravel_504076.hcsp\how promote a safe travel plan} at your school (there's also a hedgehog page for kids and www.arrivealive.gov.uk)

Hope that helps

Manitz - I'm a Road Safety consultant - started off in Local Government and worked my way to sanity!

small world. I really enjoyed working on rs stuff. do fire now.

DD is ill and I havent been back to school yet so once I see what the school has done on Monday, if anything, I will come back and get serious here :)