Almost 150 fines handed out following crackdown on illegal parking outside some North East Lincolnshire primary schools
The aim of the scheme is to make school entrances safer
Almost 150 fines were issued for illegal stopping outside schools in the first month of the year.
The council CCTV-enforced initiative began in September 2022 when cameras were installed outside Signhills Academy in Cleethorpes. Old Clee Primary followed in December, and there are now seven schools across North East Lincolnshire currently covered by the CCTV.
In January alone, 142 fines were issued across the seven schools in the borough that have the CCTV cameras installed. Welholme Academy topped the illegal stopping fine charts with 44.
The scheme aims to help make schools even more safe by deterring people from parking outside school entrances. Six more schools, including Wybers Academy and Great Coates Academy, are intended to get the CCTV. Restriction rules outside of the schools are being tidied up first, though.
Cllr Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “We continue to see encouraging results, but it is disappointing to see that, despite these cameras having been in place for months in some cases, we are still catching parents illegally stopping outside schools, and this endangers children and other pedestrians.
“We are still hearing from school staff that the measures are working, they are deterring some parents from parking outside of school gates, and there is a visible reduction in cars parked erratically. The aim of these measures is to make our school gates safer for children and young people, and I am confident that this is being seen.”
The 142 fines issued in January were split accordingly between the schools that already have the CCTV:
Old Clee Primary Academy – 18
Laceby Acres Primary School – 5
Scartho Junior Academy – 28
Signhills Academy – 7
Waltham Leas Primary Academy – 20
Queen Mary Avenue Infant and Nursery School – 20
Welholme Academy – 44
More than 300 PCNs were issued across just four North East Lincolnshire schools in July to September 2023, suggesting parents and carers are heeding the enforcement. Schools have a three step process from the launch of the scheme.
Two weeks prior to the cameras going live, parents are given notice. Those found illegally parking for the next two weeks are issued with a warning letter, but are not fined. After this period, penalty charge notices (PCNs) will begin to be issued.
Drivers caught stopping on the yellow zig zag lines will receive a £70 penalty charge notice. This is reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.