Drivers urged to put safety first at Stratford primary schools
HEADTEACHERS are urging parents to drive and park safely while on the school run following concerns about safety.
Four primary schools in the Stratford district have raised issues about both parents’ driving and parking in the roads surrounding their sites, with some putting up their signage or seeking support from the police to try to resolve the problems.
Loxley C of E Primary School has had to take steps to deter unsafe parking by putting signs on Goldicote Road after parents were seen driving along footpaths.
Interim head of school Nigel Green said: “The signs will be positioned on footpaths around the school to encourage motorists to drive and park considerately and carefully. This is a particular issue on both sides of the road in front of the school, where people can often be seen driving over the footpath, which is not only dangerous but a criminal offence.
“Such driving not only puts children at risk of injury but also our neighbours, who should be able to live safely in our community.”
Alveston C of E Primary School has had similar problems, despite efforts to make drop-off and pick-up times easy and safe.
Headteacher Anne Clewley said: “The school has an agreement with the football club to allow parents to park for drop-off and pick-up, so there is no need to park on the road. We have also worked with the police who have loaned signs to encourage safer driving and careful parking.
“In addition, we work with the county council’s road safety team who give road safety messages to children with a view to them not only using what they learn themselves, but also to pass these on to their families.
“Although we have taken these measures, we would urge everyone who parks or drives near to the school to have the safety of the children, staff and other road users in mind. It does need everyone to play their part to keep us safe.”
As previously reported in the Herald, Stratford Primary School called in police officers to try to help solve the problem of parents parking unsafely on Broad Street.
However, while officers while officers have patrolled the street, the situation has not improved. Head of school Louise Withers said: “When the police were in attendance, there was a significant improvement in parking. However, with the police being unable to attend daily, we are facing issues again at both the beginning and end of the school day. When we are able to staff it, we have members of staff on patrol and they are having to regularly move cars off the zig-zags and have observed parents parking on corners and in front of residents’ homes.”
Thomas Jolyffe Primary School, Clopton Road, Stratford, has also experienced parking issues. A school spokesperson said: “Adults will need to be patient, calm and consider others – particularly when there are children around. Not everyone can park outside school at the same time.”
Warwickshire County Council has said that while schools are responsible for dealing with complaints, it does run a series of road safety education programmes and campaigns.
However, a solution could been found further afield. In a ground-breaking move Cambridgeshire County Council ran an 18-month trial of no car zones - referred to as 'school streets' - outside seven primary schools. It is something which could be an option for some schools in Stratford town centre, according to Mr Green, but not possible in more rural areas. It would, of course, need county council backing.
