Enforcement camera to tackle dangerous school-run parking

A new enforcement camera has been put into operation by Leicester City Council to help tackle dangerous and anti-social parking on the school run.

Further information

The city council has installed a new fixed enforcement camera on Headland Road, in Evington, to deter drivers from putting children at risk by stopping illegally in the keep clear area outside Linden Primary School.

By using a fixed camera with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology, the council can quickly get the evidence it needs to fine anyone who stops on the yellow zigzag lines during the busy school run periods.

The camera will operate from Monday to Friday, between 8am-9.15am and 2.15pm to 4pm during term times only. It is due to come into operation from Monday 21 October, and clear signing is in place to warn drivers.

Anyone caught contravening the keep clear regulations will receive a £70 fine.

The new camera can be redeployed and put into operation at other schools where anti-social and dangerous school run parking has been identified as an ongoing problem.
Assistant city mayor for neighbourhoods Cllr Kirk Master said: “This new camera is just the latest measure we’re taking to tackle dangerous school run parking and help keep children safe on their way to and from school.

“We’ll be using this fixed camera to enforce ‘no stopping’ restrictions outside schools where the issue is a real problem.

“The message is clear – if you stop on the zigzag lines outside school you’re putting children’s safety at risk and if you’re caught on camera you will face a fine.”

The six sites currently equipped to host the fixed ANPR camera are Headland Road, close to Linden Primary School; Gwendolen Road, close to Coleman Primary School and Crown Hills Community College; Ingle Street, by Inglehurst Junior School; Spencefield Lane, close to St Paul’s Catholic and Krishna Avanti Schools; Tatlow Road, by Braunstone Frith infant and junior schools; and Ventnor Street, outside Spinney Hill Primary School.

Since May 2019, a new traffic regulation order (TRO) has allowed the city council to use evidence captured by camera to enforce keep clear restrictions at 24 schools.

Camera car enforcement is carried out on a regular basis at unannounced schools to help ensure that anyone flouting the regulations and putting children’s safety at risk will be issued with a penalty charge notice.

Camera enforcement is one of a range of measures being taken by the city council to improve children’s safety outside schools.

The city council have carried out a wide range of safety improvements around schools in the city over the last three years. This includes installing coloured pencil-shaped bollards, improving walking routes for school children and parents and refreshing keep clear zigzag markings outside schools.

New pedestrian refuges and crossings have been installed close to schools on Whitehall Road, Gleneagles Avenue, Spencefield Lane and Glenfield Road and new vehicle-activated signs have been introduced at sites across the city to highlight school run safety messages.

The city council, with its in-house partners Sustrans and Living Streets, also works with schools on a programme of activities to encourage more children to walk or cycle to school and help reduce the amount of traffic at busy drop-off and pick-up times.

Work to tackle problems associated with school run is part of Leicester City Council’s £2.2million Parking Improvement Action Plan.