Fines for parents who park outside Bristol schools
Parents of pupils at 16 city primary schools will be fined if they park outside the front gates under new plans to improve child safety.
Bristol City Council is bringing in tough new restrictions that will make it illegal to stop on zig-zag lines and roads outside schools will be patrolled by traffic wardens.
And any parents who ignore the new rules will face an on-the-spot fine of £70.
The length of the zig-zags is also being extended in front of some schools.
The proposals, part of the Safer Bristol initiative, aim to increase safety and reduce congestion at the beginning and end of the school day.
Kate Hartas, spokeswoman for Bristol City Council, said: "Many schools have zig-zag lines outside the entrance gates, but most are advisory rather than mandatory, which means that the council can ask people not to park on them, but there is no fine for doing so.
"The council is in the process of making it against the law to pull over or wait on the zig-zag lines. Part of this process is to advertise traffic orders for the stretches of road affected, which will take place in phases.
"Once the orders are in place, Civil Enforcement Officers can give parking tickets to motorists who wait or park on the lines. "
At Filton Avenue Infant and Junior School cars collecting children often queue on the zig-zag lines.
Lollipop lady Estelle Filer, 61, from Filton Grove, said: "I've seen lots of near misses here, people stopping in the middle of the road, parking on the zig-zags. It's horrendous and worse in the afternoons."
Maureen Becker, 40, who lives in Beverly Road, Horfield, has four children at the school aged between four and 11-years-old. She said: "I think the new measures are a fantastic idea. It's been of major concern to all parents for years, its an accident waiting to happen."
But one mum, parked on the zigzags, said it was safer to drop her children outside the gates.
Charlene Haggett, 25, from Seamills, said: "I'm still in my pyjamas, its a 20-minute drive and I run out of time. I stop here so I can watch them go in through the gates – it'd be a nightmare if I couldn't."
Another, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "They may as well fine us for going to school if they start fining us for parking, what next?"
Carolyn Plows, practice manager at Horfield Health Centre, opposite the school, said parents often used the centre's car park.
She said: "If patients have early or afternoon appointments they struggle getting into the car park. I hope this doesn't create more problems when there are tighter restrictions on the roads."
Paul Jeffery is head teacher at Cheddar Grove Primary School, in Bedminster, where the plans will affect about half a mile of surrounding roads.
He said: "Safety of children is paramount and we have been pushing for this for a long time. A minority of people park inappropriately on the roads around the school, even on the pavements.
"We've had instances of children being unable to walk on the pavement. Hopefully this will encourage people to take responsibility for where they park."
But Pam Derham, head teacher of Westbury-on-Trym CE Primary School, on Channel's Hill, fears the plans will only add to problems.
She said: "Like many city schools we've not got adequate parking on the roads surrounding us. We've already got residents complaining about numbers of cars on Holmwood Gardens – this will only add to the problems.
"I can see why it's been done and obviously we want to encourage children's safety but I think people will still stop and drop children off and this could be even more dangerous."
Susan Fenna, lives on Holmwood Gardens.
She said: "In the mornings its not an issue but between 3.10pm and 3.25pm I won't even try to come up the road, I'd rather leave my car in the village. The school try very hard but the road is just full of cars parked waiting for the children."
Other schools affected include Air Balloon Hill Infant and Junior School, Ashton Gate Primary, Avon Primary, Avonmouth CE VC Primary, Baddocks Wood Primary, Blaise Primary, Filton Avenue Infant and Junior, Fonthill Primary, Highridge Infant and Bishopsworth CE VC Junior, Knowle Park Primary, Little Mead Primary, Oasis Academy Brightstowe, St Peter and Paul Catholic Primary and West Town Lane Primary.
The plans also impose no waiting at any time at Ashton Gate Road, Greenway Bush Lane and Walter Street, in Southville, Hillside Road, in St George, and Penpole Lane in Shirehampton. Full details of the proposals are on display at public libraries and objections must be made before May 18 2009.
33 Comments
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by tay, bristol
Saturday, March 06 2010, 9:30AM
“oh and before any one comments on my post, i DO NOT PARK ON THE ZIG ZAG EVER!!!! and comments on my grammer are also not needed, i know i have a writing problem, but realy that is not the issue, so the sado's out there that want to comment dont bother, this is about getting our kids to school safely, not how well someone writes!!!!”
by tay lane, bristol
Saturday, March 06 2010, 9:22AM
“i have 3 children that go to filton ave infant an jnr, 2 of them have adhd, and some mornings they can not be trusted to walk to far, as the roads are dangerus, an they have no sense of danger, there are no speed bumps on lockleaze rd so therefore people drive like mainiacs, even the busses, so i have to try and get as close to the school an lollypop lady as possible, for my childrens safety, and i feel that if people that have driveways down lockleaze rd actualy used them, then parking wouldnt be so much of a problem, an speed bumps down the road would make safety better to,”
by Mark, Bristol
Thursday, April 30 2009, 8:12AM
“Why not just put a 5' fence up along the zig zagged area, that way it would be pointless parking on them because the kids would still need to walk around the fence from the far end.
Shouldnt cost much to put in place and a safe alternative to the occasional PCSO being in place to fine people on random days.”
by stop picking on parents, Real world
Thursday, April 30 2009, 7:36AM
“Actually Martin This was also confirmed by the local beat bobby not just quoted from the highway code (if you had read the post properly you'd have seen that mentioned. I note you didn't actually bother to comment on the other ideas in my comments and as for free will If the council cover the area with zig zags, double yellows etc it kinda takes away any element of free will doesn't it . It seems that there will soon be more places in Bristol where you can't park than where you can!
Martin,I suggest you read the posts properly in future.
I also suggest to the evening post that posts sent to the moderator are looked at and added quickly. My second post would make more sense if the mods had bothered adding my original post. I don't even know WHY it was referred to the mods anyway.”
by Martin, Clifton
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 9:59PM
“@"stop picking on parents", there is something called freewill. You have a choice whether to park on zig zags or not.
The PCSO waiting to pounce on you is there to protect your children and other peoples, not just to raise revenue.
Also please actually read the highway code and relevant law before misquoting it. The zig zag lines are advisory at all times, unless there is a sign giving the hours, at which point they are mandatory in the hours of operation.”
by stop picking on parents, Real world
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 9:04PM
“Er...Why has my second comment been posted before my first???
I doesn't make sense now.
Sorry folks”
by stop picking on parents, Real world
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 9:03PM
“.
I would say however that there are many inconsiderate parents out there who feel they have to drop off right outside ( I think some of them would like to drive right into the class rooms!) I can accept that for younger children but not for those of 8 or 9 and over. Perhaps the school PTA could organise some waling buses from surrounding streets so parents didn't have to drive upto school.
That said I don't think this scheme has much to do with safeguarding children. Why you might ask? well, in most cases the length of the zig- zags is adequate. so therefore the only reason to extend them would be to deliberately give less parking and in so doing give parents no option but to park on them where lo and behold there is a PCSO waiting to pounce!
Please also remember that according to the highway code (and confirmed by the local beat bobby) the restrictions on parking on school zig zags are only in force when school children are going into or out of school ie between 8ish and 9.15 am and 3pm til 4.15pm (as an approximate guide. at all other times it is ok to park or stop on them.”
by Alex, Redcliffe
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 7:50PM
“Totally agree with most people here - parents/children should be walking to school. But why on earth is the idiot in pyjamas taking her child to a school in Horfield when she lives in Seamills? If everyone went to their local school then everyone could walk and there would not be a problem! Most of these schools have been around since the days of non-lazy parents and children who are not obese, hence the lack of parking. No wonder we are becoming a nation of fatties - it is drummed into children from an early age to jump in the car even to cover the shortest of distances.”
by Hitler's Ghost, Stalag 19
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 5:54PM
“Excellent Anon! . . Your implant is working perfectly. . You may have a 425 millilitre travel bonus and some fee air miles for summer 2018.”
by anon, bristol
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 5:35PM
“Hitlers ghost? GROW UP”