Graham, Tom and Ian

Your Lib Dem team for Cheadle West & Gatley Learn more

Parking problems outside schools

by Lib Dem team on 18 November, 2015

One of the issues that regularly comes up for the Lib Dem team is parking problems outside schools. It’s a nationwide issue, and not an easy one to crack, so we keep at it.

We recently asked for an update from the Council’s parking enforcement team, so here it is.

Every school and college in Stockport has parking problems, and all get regular visits from the traffic wardens several times a year.

In the last half term 10 Penalty Notices were issued to vehicles stopping on school zigzags. The visual presence of traffic wardens at a school leads to a significant reduction in contraventions whilst there are in attendance.

Some authorities use camera cars to enforce school restrictions – however there is a significant cost (approx. £50k) associated with this approach. Also from talking to other authorities this is not the panacea it may appear as, like a CEO, it can only be at one school location at a time. Furthermore camera enforcement of other (non-school/bus stop) parking restrictions is discouraged by the Government, hence the vehicle would only be fully utilised for a few hours each day.

Last month Thurrock Council announced that they were training teachers to issue Parking tickets. This was an excellent piece of publicity – as it turns out just one lunchtime assistant is being trained as a traffic warden. Issuing parking tickets to motorists encourages confrontation, this is something council traffic wardens are trained to deal with but not many teachers (or other members of the public) would be too keen to fine the parents of their pupils. The NUT are not advocates of this idea.

   10 Comments

10 Responses

  1. BC says:

    What measures do the school admissions department put in place to ensure that school applications are from parents living in the catchment area? This would reduce local residents having to travel to schools that are outside of their catchment area and reduce the number of parents travelling to popular primary schools who have used alternative addresses such as grandparents, family friends etc.

  2. Garry says:

    One of the worst at the moment is Meadowbank primary. People park on and opposite the junction of Demmings road and Brookfield Road. Turning from either is difficult and can be made even more dangerous when the busses that use the route or wagons trying to get into the industrial park are involved.

  3. Alan Gent says:

    And of course let’s not forget the biggest problem which is never addressed; Ladybarn. Cars regularly block the only road into Cheadle from that side and yet nothing is done about it.

    • Mak says:

      I have suggested building a path from the bruntwood park entrance on Schools Hill and parents can park all the way down the park road. This would reduce traffic problems during school runs. … any thoughts??

  4. JRH says:

    I watched with dismay at Cheadle Primary as the usual cars contravene the parking regulations. Last week a parking warden arrived and was looking at the offenders when the owner of a large saloon car came from the school yard and shouted over the school fence to the warden “IT’S OK I’M ONLY HERE” and went back into the school yard. No ticket issued and the same car occupied the same restricted area the following day and continues to do so. The regulations are for the safety of the children.
    Sting the offenders – GET SOME TICKETS ISSUED

  5. Jane says:

    Don’t even get me started on this! The same problems have been going on for generations outside every school & never been sorted.

    Cheadle Primary has a car park right next to it which is FREE to use for parents dropping off/picking up their children, yet STILL people drive down Ashfield to the dead end road right outside the school & stop on the zig-zags.
    They then have to do a 3 point turn to get out.

    The result after school is that you have all the children piling out & weaving round the cars that are doing this.

    I cannot even tell you of the number of altercations I’ve had with people & I long for the day when I don’t have to go there anymore.
    The ONLY language these people understand is a monetary fine through the post.

    There should be cameras on these areas outside every primary school, an automatic timer – 10 minutes before the school bell goes & 10 minutes at the end of the school day. Photographs should be taken of any stationary vehicles in that area at that time & fines issued.

    No need for a 50K a year car that can only be in one place at a time.
    I can’t believe in this day & age of technology that some automatic system can’t be put in place.
    It would be a win/win situation – keep children safe AND raise plenty of money for the council.

  6. Rick says:

    This ongoing problem just proves that a lot of motorists are ignorant, arrogant and selfish. Just like a lot of motorist who ignore the ‘TURN LEFT’ and no right turn signs from Massie Street onto the High Street. Stop the cuts to Police budgets and get more Bobbies on the beat and catch these dangerous and stupid people.

    • Jane says:

      I couldn’t agree more. Fine the arrogant, selfish drivers that make the roads dangerous. Can you IMAGINE how much money could be raised by fining anyone using a phone too?? I see at least half a dozen on my short journey to work everyday. Hit them where it hurts, in the pocket. The roads become a safer place for everyone, the idiots are forced to play by the rules & the council raises a fortune to use for good things. It would be good for everyone!

  7. Philip thomas says:

    Meadow bank Friday I watched a woman pull across the junction then reverse on to the pavement on the corner where there are clear double yellow lines opposite another car also on double yellows.After telling her that the lines were there to stop parking on the corner I got a mouthful and told I was in the middle of the road funny as that was the only bit of road left. Can we have a warden there just once please at 3 -15 to wake them up.

  8. John says:

    To give a sense of balance to the above comments, i live in view of Lumm Head School. On the whole we have few problems, i feel. OK, we get the occasional inconsiderate parker but mostly we live in harmony. What does concern me though is the large number of drivers that i still see along Troutbeck Road with a mobile phone to their ear while driving, on hand on the wheel. Perhaps a word to the school head?

Leave a Reply to JRH

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>