PARENTS who park dangerously outside schools could be named and shamed.
Education bosses say children's lives are being put at risk by people who pull in on zig-zags or double yellow lines as they drop off or pick up youngsters.
There are plans to send traffic wardens to schools across Tameside to catch those flouting the law.
Anyone issued with a fixed penalty fine could then have their details published in the council's magazine, which goes to 100,000 homes, and in local newspapers.
Across Greater Manchester parking outside schools is a problem and other councils said they would consider adopting a similar scheme.
Coun Peter Robinson, who is chairman of the committee that has drawn up the plans, said: "Outside most schools there are zig-zag markings where traffic is prohibited but some parents totally disregard this.
"They totally ignore the road traffic system and the safety of their own children. I don't know what happens but as motorists they are totally different people - I think some parents would drive into the classrooms if they could.
"I just can't comprehend how somebody can put their most precious possession, their child, into such danger. "
Coun Robinson hopes publicly naming and shaming drivers would have the same impact as the publicity that shames drink-drivers over Christmas.
He said: "If we can get a series of successful prosecutions we would want to advertise the fact.
Message
"Hopefully that would send out a strong message." Now council officers are drawing up detailed proposals.
The move has been welcomed by some headteachers.
Janet Connor, head at Arundale Primary School, in Mottram, near Stalybridge, said: "When I first came to the school there was a problem with parking. I used Tameside wardens to patrol the area and to discuss with parents why they shouldn't be parking there. That worked.
"I think naming and shaming could be used as a tool to stop people parking."
Other recommendations in the council committee report include encouraging pupils to walk, cycle or use public transport to travel to and from school.
A spokesman for Bury Council said: "We are happy to look at any scheme that could reduce congestion around schools.
"If this scheme proves successful we may consider something similar."
Salford Council is already trying to banish careless parking outside primary schools. Banners say: "Children of our school say show you care, park elsewhere".
And although they have never discussed the naming and shaming of motorists, they say they will be watching what happens in Tameside.
A Stockport Council spokesman said: "We do not have any plans to do this in Stockport. However, it will be interesting to see how this works in Tameside."
A spokesman for Bolton Council said: "We will be monitoring Tameside's plans before making any decision."
Coun Matthew Colledge, of Trafford, said: "We have no plans at present to introduce a name and shame scheme in Trafford but are planning projects to educate children and parents about road safety."
Tony Noblet, for Oldham Council, said they were already drawing up plans to crack down on those who caused parking congestion outside schools. But he said they would not be looking at naming and shaming the culprits.
Wigan Council said there were no immediate plans for new enforcement measures.
What do you think? Have your say.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
It's been a while since I lived in England. I was under the misapprehension that people so lazy, wasteful, selfish, inconsiderate and negligent were those I find myself among. I'll have to think again.
I absolutely agree, my own street is clogged up terribly every morning by lazy parents who won't walk the hundred yards down the street to take their kids to school, all competing to get as near to the school as possible, completely ignoring the zig zags as well as residents on the street who wish to get out of their drive, even worse a disabled man's ambulance is reguarly held up at the end of the street leaving his ill wife to wheel him up to the ambulance in all kinds of weather, this St Clare's in Higher Blackley, parents you should be ashamed of yourselves!!
I live close to a school in north Manchester where teachers and other staff park on the pavement down both sides of the street, and there are so many of them it turns a two way street into a one way street. Emergency vehicles would have no chance. But it's made worse by the fact that after school parents stop their cars in the middle of the road to wait for little Johnny or jemima.
One day a magistrate friend of mine was walking past as police were booking the cars and somebody came out to protest. "our school owns half of this pavement" said the staff member. To which the police officer replied, "Well you are parked on the wrong half".
Parking on pavements is anti-social as well as illegal and the police and traffic wardens should be out every single day until these people get the message that they are breaking the law. Perhaps people need to go down this street in their wheelchairs, or pushing a pram or carrying several heavy bags of shopping, and if these cars end up with scratches as a result of legal use of the pavements, they won't be able to claim on their insurance because they are not legally parked.
Parking on the pavement should carry a £1,000 fine and/or crushing of the car.
Me me me me me me me me me me.
Coun Matthew Colledge needs to educate parents generally in Trafford. Sick and tired of parents parking across my driveway!
Is it any wonder kids are so unfit, what happened to walking to school?
Some parents couldn't care less and will park anywhere. Until they are hit financially with hefty fines, this will continue. Parents need to get back to walking to school as part of a healthy agenda or use public transport. Why Johnny & Jane need driving round the corner in mummy's 4x4 is beyond me!
When I was at junior school in the 1960's I had to walk, about half a mile, as we did'nt have a car anyway.
In the '70's when I started at secondary school we did have one by then but I used the bus or train and was never once driven to school
Do what I did
One drawback is that they do not know who parked the car dangerously. So Tameside MBC should be prepared for some litigation for those wrongly accused - as it was their wife, partner, girlfriend, mother, granny that done it.
And we wonder why there is a problem with obese kids!!
Saying that I don't think my parents could afford a car when I was a kid...if you couldn't afford you couldn't get..end of.
And parking on pavements isn't only an issue outside of school either, we have the same problem in that pedestrians have to regularly walk on the road due to commuters parking on the pavement...still makes our street oneway...safety issue also as there is a sharp bend and unless you know what's ahead....plus the added crime brought to the area...leaving their sat navs on show...
The commuters don't care..they say they'd rather have their windows smashed in once a month than pay daily parking, hows that for selfishness!
Have no mercy on these parents, it's about time they encouraged their kids to be responsible for themselves...they get too used to being taxied around then public transport suddenly becomes far beneath them!
I had always said this, streets need to be wider, be it in the city or suburbs. Your 2 way street is just that, wide enough for 2 cars, one going each way. Then where do the residents park? I bet there is no drive or such in your terraced garden. It is the planner's fault (as usual) in allowing homes to be built with no provision for parking.
This story highlights two aspects of our sick society:
1) people are now very selfish, don't care about anyone else and just want their own way.
2) people are lazy and teaching their selfish offspring how to be lazy too.
I fear for the future, I really do.
I see parents who live within two or three streets of the school in openshaw driving to the school to pick their children up?Either they have to much money or they are to bone idle to walk the short distance to the school to pick their children up .I think all schools should have a no parking or waiting zones at school times.then start issuing parents with tickets.
Well while you are all sitting at home noticing the 'bad parking' of parents, some of us have to go to WORK to earn a living, to put a roof over our kids' head! If I walked my daughter to school (which is a rare luxury for us), by the time I did that i'd be late for work. I don't park on the yellow lines, I park further down the road, where incidentally there are still children crossing. Children come to a primary school from several streets around, they are going to have to learn to deal with traffic somewhere or other! Parents should take personal responsibility for making sure their children are safe and teaching them how to cross roads - otherwise the kids will be in for a shock when they have to cross busy roads unaccompanied on their way to high school.
This isnt just a childrens thing. I can walk to my local church two streets away in 4 minutes and run in 2. Theres a fit healthy couple in the next street(closer) who go every weekend BY CAR. It must take longer to put the seat belt on
Busymum - congratulations for managing to hold down a full-time job and be a mother (no sarcasm intended)- however, I think many people's point is why is it necessary to accompany children to school in the first place? Schools have school buses, walking schemes, or kids can walk with friends if safety's such an issue.
Kids nowadays seem to expect their parents to take them to school (and indeed everywhere) - remarkable - and, as per many other comments, no wonder they're all fat!
Naming and shaming people who park dangerously? How about naming and shaming known perverts and paedophiles who pose a much greater threat to these youngsters?
I don't this is directed at all parents but the ones that are ignoring restricted parking signs and markings on roads that ultimately threatens the safety of others.
Understandably, working parents have to drop their kids off on the way to work, no problem as long as you are not doing so in these so called restricted areas which are clearly marked.
I totally agree that these people should be named and shamed, this may be more of a deterrent to some (fines only deter the ones on a tight budget).
Good idea!
Why name and shame? I would hardly hang my head in shame like a sex offender if I was 'named and shamed' for a parking offence. Just fine them for a first offence and confiscate their car for a second, along with a nice years driving ban. Money from the sale of confiscated cars could be used to help pay the wages of extra parking wardens.
I absolutely agree, my own street is clogged up terribly every morning by lazy parents who won't walk the hundred yards down the street to take their kids to school, all competing to get as near to the school as possible, completely ignoring the zig zags as well as residents on the street who wish to get out of their drive, even worse a disabled man's ambulance is reguarly held up at the end of the street leaving his ill wife to wheel him up to the ambulance in all kinds of weather, this St Clare's in Higher Blackley, parents you should be ashamed of yourselves!!
Name and shame WOW bet they're really worried about that!! Police and prosecute come to mind
Name and shame, caught again and their kids get chucked out of the school...
Like I said, sometimes fining these more 'well off' parents is a waste of time....
We have the same problem, i don't drive my kids unless I have to be in work really early, the school have a traffic warden come by now and again, which tends to stop people parking dangerously for a couple of days, but for the same cost they could probably put cctv in place & fine people from the evidence gained. Fixed fines make more sense than naming and shaming.
In the 12 years that my children attended a Salford school, I never once parked illegally or dangerously. I would park safely and walk to the school, and cross using the school crossing. However some of the parents would ignore the Highway Code and basically abandon their vehicles to avoid having to walk to the school. The school in question is Mesne Lea in Walkden. This school situated behind terraced houses. Some parents want to drive into the school playground to pick up their little darlings but for obvious reasons the school does not allow this. Some of the parents are just bone idle and when anyone does come down to take any action on the parking problem they just stand around doing nothing. I actually had a row with a parking attendant who refused to ticket a car which was parked on the pavement, on double yellow lines at the junction. His excuse was that "the driver is sat in the car and I don't want to have a row". This is not a new problem but has been building up over the years. Planners cannot be blamed as parking should not be a consideration. Parents just need to be made to realise that it is THEIR childrens lives which are being put at risk by their own thoughtlessness and stupidity.
Hi
I am a concerned parent at Beaver Road School.
Every trip to my son's school is dangerous because of the total disregard by a minority of drivers.
Crossing to the school means crossing between cars whose owners are too lazy to park further away ( sometimes too lazy to even get out of the car - merely opening the passenger door for their offspring)
The school is passive - but ignorance does not make them any less culapble should a serious incident occur.
I would like to start a petition to shame the school into shaming the lazy drivers.
Please e mail me your concerns about Beaver Road - paul_home69@hotmail.com
Thanks
Paul Home