Forum to look at parking ban

School traffic issues are scrutinised

South Lanarkshire Council’s road safety forum is to consider potential solutions to parking problems alongside Rutherglen and Cambuslang schools.

The Reformer reported in October that councillors could consider banning cars from certain streets around some schools to alleviate pressure.

To implement this, power over parking around schools could be transferred from the community resources committee to the safety forum.

At a meeting of the road safety forum yesterday, Tuesday, councillors agreed to prepare a report to go back to the committee for consideration.

Five key issues were considered by the community resources committee, including experiences in East Lothian of banning vehicles from school frontages. Other considerations include statutory enforcement options and practicalities, enforcement capacity, encouraging active travel and the role of the council and Police Scotland in regard to obstructive or dangerous parking.

The forum will now look to outline what the parking issues are, what impact they have on the road network and the public, what actions are available to address these and how they could be implemented.

Problems of parents parking near schools has been reported at a number of Rutherglen and Cambuslang primary schools.

Parents welcomed the proposals when we revealed them in October.

The news comes as Halfway Community Council reported an increase in traffic enforcement officers at St Charles’ Primary on Newton.

Gordon Mackay, head of roads and transportation at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “We received a complaint regarding vehicles parking in contravention of the regulations around St Charles’ Primary School.

“Clearly indiscriminate parking around schools is a potential road safety concern. Consequently we arranged to step up patrols around the school and so far the parking attendants have issued one penalty charge notice.”