PARENTS parking cars near schools, it needs stopping

[denlin]

It's not safe to walk because of all the traffic fumes. (!)

 

Maybe if all the morons who are too idle to walk their kids to school walked there wouldn't be so many fumes. I used to walk 3 miles there and three miles back when I was at school. Maybe if the parents looked at themselves as guardians instead of nannies they would encourage their offspring to exercise

[biotechpete]

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-s-school-parking-legal-shock-1-4753054

 

Probably not enforceable in Sheffield anyway.

[Hesther]

Perhaps the OP and other people with complaints should be lobbying the council to pay a wage/give acceptable conditions to School Crossing Wardens and then they might be closer to filling the huge vacancies across the city. It's an insult that having to do such a responsible job and get to work for three times a day, in all weathers and the hours stop you from doing any other day job, merits a couple of quid in wages as they only pay for actual time worked.

 

When parents can rely on the crossings being staffed every day, more children will be able to walk to school.

 

I could safely walk to my local primary, when I was a pupil, as there were four School Crossing Wardens on the way. The same route now has just one one, leaving dangerous crossings unmanned.

 

People only have to look at the various threads on here to see how the standards of driving have nose-dived around the city. There are too many drivers who show no regard for the safety of others.

 

In addition to this, the council in their wisdom have allowed a local business to expand tenfold relatively unchecked, at a major, already dangerous, crossroads, used by hundreds to get to school, with cars, vans, and tow trucks dangerously reversing in and out at speed, at all hours, and leaving vehicles on the pavement that restrict views, that is especially dangerous to young children, and now my children have to negotiate this on the way to school, so it is simply not safe for them to walk unless they are accompanied by an adult, and most adults have jobs to get to, some have disabilities, so these types of situations also serve to make the problems worse.

 

There are also some parents/older siblings who insist on reversing dangerously near the school gates every morning and after school, putting lives at risk and until this is sorted, many parents will not feel that their children can walk to school in safety. The overwhelming majority of parents park in a safe and courteous manner, however it is a handful every day that act in a selfish, dangerous, callous manner, by reversing near the school gates, they also usually have their radios blaring out at a deafening level.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Hesther

[Cyclone]

Not always possible. We live four miles from school, and when we get there, I park in the (numerous) parking bays designated for parking. I've no intention of walking my four year old four miles to school every morning.

 

Given you can't tell who has come a walkable distance (and what's walkable for one parent might not be for another), it's impossible to either judge or enforce.

 

Perhaps having everyone go to the closest school would help to solve the problem.

 

---------- Post added 24-02-2016 at 09:22 ----------

 

I agree.

 

But what can be enforced is correct parking. Despite the very clear zig zag markings and the big signs saying no stopping, some parents choose to drive right up to the gates. I'd be all for a police presence on a regular basis, with strong enforcement and fines where appropriate.

 

Or, borrow a police stinger and set it up on the zig zags. Even put up warnings if you're feeling generous.

[Andy1976]

Perhaps having everyone go to the closest school would help to solve the problem..

 

Err no. Quite simply, no.

 

I choose to pay for my child's education, therefore it's my choice where she goes. Trying to walk that distance with a four year old in a morning would mean a walk of around 2 hours, so setting off at 6.30am. It's not happening.

[Cyclone]

Private schools would not be included of course.

But the idea that people choose state schools that are not the closest one is ridiculous and contributes to congestion and childhood obesity.

[Andy1976]

Private schools would not be included of course.

But the idea that people choose state schools that are not the closest one is ridiculous and contributes to congestion and childhood obesity.

 

Don't agree with that I have to say. My parents chose a school about 2 miles away, as opposed to the one literally at the top of the road, because it was the better school. Once I was old enough, I walked most days, or caught the bus which dropped me a mile away at a friend's house, and we walked from there.

 

It was pizza and beer that contributed to my obesity!

 

People will always choose the better school though, that's my point. If they have the option between failing school A up the road, and successful school B two miles away, it's common sense to choose B, as all parents want the best for their children.

[Eater Sundae]

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-s-school-parking-legal-shock-1-4753054

 

Probably not enforceable in Sheffield anyway.

 

In this sort of situation, I wonder if the police could fall back on "driving without due care", on the basis that these people are driving below the standard expected of a competent driver. A fine and points on their licence might concentrate their minds a little.

[WalkleyIan]

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-s-school-parking-legal-shock-1-4753054

 

Probably not enforceable in Sheffield anyway.

 

Many are now as that's nearly 4 years back and SCC have been going through the process of applying for TROs to cover the existing ones. Also they've been enveloping it in with the 20mph zones TROs to save costs.

 

Ive also seen new zigzags going in at Broomhill schools during the Amey work and can only assume they are legal.

 

---------- Post added 24-02-2016 at 13:41 ----------

 

My guess is that camera enforcement is not a legal way to do it. And I wonder if in SCC's case, they have even applied for the traffic regulation orders to enforce the zig zags anyway.

 

Eric Pickles (remember him?) made it much easier to park on double yellows, as the poor motorist is so hard done by, but even he agreed that CCTV could still be used for essential enforcement. I believe CCTV is now going in on at least one school in Broomhill

 

from .gov

 

Tickets will have to be fixed to the windscreen by parking wardens, making it illegal for councils to issue penalty charge notices to drivers using just the CCTV spy cars that currently patrol roads for on-street parking enforcement.

 

Parking officers will now carry out all essential enforcement, limiting the use of CCTV to issue tickets by post to critical routes such as schools, bus lanes, bus stops and red routes where public transport must be kept moving for safety reasons.

[Love2print]

Private schools would not be included of course.

But the idea that people choose state schools that are not the closest one is ridiculous and contributes to congestion and childhood obesity.

 

Our next neighbour does not want their child to go to the nearest school. The next nearest ones are oversubscribed so they want to get their child into a school even further away just so they can avoid the local one. This is based on its reputation, its Mansel Primary BTW. My child attends nursery there and I was taking to one of the assistant heads a few months ago and she was telling me how they knew it had problems and they were trying to sort them out. We had quite a long conversation about it. One of the issues was the outdoor facilities for nursery/reception class this has been really improved. I tried telling my neighbours about how it was changing but they would have none of it because they didn't want, words to the effect of, their child mixing with the children from around here.

 

Attitudes like that mean if they get their child in a school of their choice they will be have to drive her there and back. But the system we currently have allows this rightly or wrongly.