Illegal school parking 'should be fined'

DRIVERS who park illegally when dropping off or collecting their children from school should be fined. A large number of drivers (86%) say they agree with trials by councils to catch school run drivers who park on zig-zag lines at pedestrian crossings, even if they stop for only a few seconds.

Several local councils, including Enfield in north London and York boroughs, are now using CCTV cameras to capture illegal parking. The footage is then used to send a fine to the offending driver. This can be as much as £130, reduced to half that amount if the fine is paid within two weeks of being issued.

A survey by Motorpoint found the majority of drivers in the UK think parking illegally outside of schools is unacceptable and dangerous. Mark Carpenter, who commissioned the survey, said: ‘Parking outside of schools, particularly during the school run, is a thorny issue for many people and they are understandably worried about the safety of their children.

‘As well as looking at CCTV as a deterrent, we should also be looking at safe drop-off zones away from the school gates rather than just penalising parents.’

By Press Association reporters