Poor parental parking ideas?

[Bilberry]

We, like many schools, have a problem with parents feeling free to flout traffic laws, children's safety and common sense to park as close as possible to the school. I was wondering if anyone's school has found an effective way of dealing with this?

The Police are usually pretty helpful in these circs. Try them first.

Our local police are more than happy to send the community support officers along past our school at pick up time. Unfortunately it doesn't stop the repeat offenders but for the odd afternoon it keeps it clear!

Photograph the offending cars - make sure number plates are visible - and send to the local police/council/press?

Our primary school printed photos and put them on the notice board outside the school.

Articles in the newsletter? Naming and shaming? Student parking patrols giving out "tickets" to the worst offenders? Police community support officers? Just accepting that the law does not apply Jocasta the lady in the 4x4 with the labrador

Our 4 local schools benefit from the local mobile camera car. Tickets all offenders. I also think metal posts on pavement make it much harder. We don't really have an issue at our huge primary as most people walk, scoot or cycle luckily. The faith schools near us are much worse as people travel further. Much Smaller schools but much more cars.

The local traffic wardens will include you on their schedule if it's a major issue , at the school my dc went to they used to come at least fortnightly on different days - kept everyone on their toes .

Thanks for the ideas. The local traffic warden does come at times but apparently gets abuse (and the school gets complaints ) and some parents don't care as the fine 'isn't very much'! This also makes the school nervous about getting pupils issuing 'tickets'. We were wandering about an eduction initiative (with the police) to try and get kids to put pressure on their parents. It is not as if there aren't plenty of safe legitimate places to park within five minutes of the school gate.

sadly not much stops these ignorant, selfish people

Our school "names & shames" bad parkers/drivers in the weekly newsletter, and we also have a couple of the teachers at drop off time who patrol the local streets talking to the parents who have parked badly. I've seen our local PCSOs on occasion as well doing the rounds.

We have a similar problem with our local religious school, which completely blocks the narrow road and causes havoc for local residents. It is also dangerous for children who are emerging onto the road between parked cars.

I'm watching with interest.

Whatever you do will be most effective if it is done in conjunction with the police and the local council, is it possible to invite reps from each to meet with you to discuss options?

There is a private school near me where the parents park on double yellow lines, on the zigzags, across corners, driveways, and junctions - it is dreadful.
However, the school minibuses also park in a similar fashion, so clearly the school doesn't give a toss, so why should the parents.

The local traffic wardens don't care - they would much rather be in the pay and display car parks ticketing people who are one minute over their time. That is easy money for no effort.

My local council views parking fines as easy revenue - nothing to do with traffic control or safety.

At our school, we all sign a parental agreement that we will not park in the cul-de-sacs leading up to the school.

The council is about to trial even stricter parking regulations.

Last term the Depute head & pupils (wearing high-viz vests) leafleted cars which were poorly parked at drop-off & pickup times.

Junior road safety programme. If you Google it lots of councils do it.

And the traffic warden needs to come whilst parents are in collecting and ticket then 5 days running. Then they might care.

My son's school is very close to the town centre in an area with residents permits & parking bays with time restrictions.

The traffic wardens are very pro-active with school parents & shoppers alike.

We've tried just about everything and sadly concluded that there are just some individual parents that don't care. It's always the same few cars that are parked dangerously.

We've just done the education initiative and afterwards it's still the same parents parking like numpties.

Have the school tried some plastic barriers? Ours does also it comes out every morning all along where people tempted to park