Solution found for school drop-off

Worried parents who were left facing problems when dropping their children off at school because of a road closure have been given support by Perth and Kinross Council and a contractor.

Last month the Perthshire Advertiser exclusively reported on the issues facing mums and dads of pupils attending Pitcairn Primary School. The school is the wrong side of flood prevention works in the Almondbank area which have closed a main route for 18 weeks.

Our last report said that progress was being made in finding a solution. Yesterday, representatives said that a drop-off arrangement had been reached with financial support coming from contractor Balfour Beatty. The firm is working on the multi-million flood scheme at Almondbank in response to major flood incidents in recent years.

A representative of the group of parents told the PA yesterday: “We are delighted with the response from the council and Balfour Beatty to our concerns. They have been really helpful.

“It has been agreed that a third of the costs of running a temporary drop-off at the school will be paid for, and parents can pay £2 per child per day for this.”

The ‘safe drop off ’ provision is due to start as schools return on Wednesday, running from 8am. It is being held at the primary school and will be in place up to the summer holiday break.

The representative said that issues, including protecting vulnerable groups checks, had also been factored in, with former organisers of the Pitcairn Under 5s involved in the drop-off arrangement.

The latest phase of the Almondbank flood scheme works started on Thursday, March 30, reducing the impact on parents in the first week as schools broke up for Easter that Friday.

Access to parts of Almondbank is being diverted via Dalcrue, which is adding up to 20 minutes to journeys. This has led to working mums and dads being concerned about cutting it fine when dropping off and picking up their children on school days.