Parking outside schools clampdown

A CLAMPDOWN on bad parking near school entrances is in the pipeline by Leicestershire County Council.

A 12-month trial is being launched to combat the problems of inconsiderate parking outside schools across the county.

The county council’s School Keep Clear scheme, with one-off funding of £500,000 set aside, aims to address concerns that parents, residents and teachers have about parking during the school run.

The authority is in the process of formalising the school ‘keep clear’ markings at various schools across the county by making them mandatory, which will be enforced by a camera car.

The latest proposed mandatory school keep clear markings will cover Rendell Primary School in Rendell Street, Loughborough; Mountfield Lodge Primary School, Squirrel Way. Loughborough;

Beacon Academy in Woodthorpe Road, Loughborough; Hathern CE Primary School in Cross Street, Hathern;

Newcroft Primary School in Trueway Drive,

Shepshed; and Highgate Primary School in Heathcote Drive, Sileby.

The restriction will apply Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm.

Coun Blake Pain, cabinet member for environment and transport said: “We’re launching the scheme which essentially makes more zig-zag zones enforceable outside schools and we believe it will go some way to alleviating concerns.

“We work closely with schools and colleges to improve issues around on-street parking as well as pedestrian and pupil safety and we invited schools to register their interest in the scheme.”

A total of 32 schools that already have the necessary mandatory markings are taking part in the trial.

Another 25 schools who have reported issues with parking also registered an interest, but are not yet eligible to begin the trial as further work is needed at their locations.

Enforcement officers will continue with their normal duties while a camera car is also being used as part of the scheme.

Using automatic number plate recognition technology, the car will be used by officers to collect the necessary evidence to enable fines to be issued, via post, to drivers who park on zig-zag markings.