Safer Schools parking – we need your help

Drivers are being asked to park legally and with more consideration when dropping off and picking up their children at school.

The council receives complaints almost every day from residents, head teachers and parents about inconsiderate parking: everything from double parking, blocking driveways, and parking on zig-zag markings to blocking access for emergency vehicles, parking too close to the school crossing patrol and parking on the pavement.

Road safety officers, in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, recently launched the Safer Schools parking banner scheme. Schools display a ‘traffic light’ system of green, yellow or red banners outside their schools warning drivers to take more care.

More than half of the borough’s primary schools (36 out of 64) now support the scheme: however, problems persist. Earlier this month, staff from NSL - the council’s parking contractors – witnessed an incident outside St Mary’s Primary School in Prestwich, when a driver who had parked on double yellow lines drove off and collided with a parent who was crossing the road with a pram.

Jan Brabin, senior road safety officer with Bury Council, said: “Schools have seen a positive reaction to the Safer Schools banners, but the success of the scheme ultimately depends on parents’ compliance. The road is a shared environment and we all need to be behave with more consideration.”

Councillor Tony Isherwood, cabinet member for environment, said: “Parents can help by parking further from school and walking the last part of their journey with their child, which will also give them a chance to practice road safety. They can also park with more care for local residents and, if possible, it would also help if more journeys could be made on foot.”

Almost every primary and secondary school in Bury is on the additional parking enforcement attention list with NSL; but limited resources mean it is unrealistic for enforcement officers to be outside every school on a daily basis. There has also been significant uniformed and plain clothes parking enforcement outside schools by Greater Manchester Police.

John Foudy, the council’s car parking manager, said: “It is sad that some people, knowing that enforcement cannot be a long-term solution, will park out of convenience above consideration for anyone else. We will continue to target those people parking in contravention, but it really shouldn’t take a penalty notice or even an incident to bring about that change.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 11 February 2014.

Note to editors:

School Keep Clear Markings and Safer Parking

School Keep Clear markings have been installed to provide children with an area outside of school, free from parked vehicles where they should be able to cross more easily and safely.

Rule 238 of the Highway Code states: “You MUST NOT wait or park, or stop to set down and pick up passengers, on school entrance markings when upright signs indicate a prohibition of stopping.”

Rule 242 of the Highway Code states:“You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road.”

Rule 243 of the Highway Code goes on to state: “Do not stop or park:

-  Near a school entrance.

-  Anywhere you would prevent access for emergency vehicles.

-  Opposite or within 10 metres of a junction except in an authorised parking space.

-  In front of an entrance to a property.”

Bury Council has installed legally enforceable School Keep Clear markings outside schools in Bury, which are accompanied by yellow backed upright signs indicating the times of the Traffic Regulation Order.