School run parents face parking tickets in road safety clampdown

Officers said they had major concerns about parking outside several schools in Doncaster after examining the issue in response to complaints from schools, councillors, residents and a local MP.

On the Wednesday before Christmas police carried out an operation targeting 50 primary schools where parking was causing an obstruction to traffic or making roads unsafe for children to cross.

Sgt Paul Setterfield, who organised the operation, said 536 of the advisory notices had been issued on Wednesday, December 19, along with four fixed penalty tickets, two for causing an obstruction and two for “anti social use of a motor vehicle”.

He said now parents were aware of the problem, the next operation would see every offender given a fine, rather than a friendly warning.

“We have listened to the concerns from the community and have conducted high-visibility patrols outside Doncaster schools to show the dangers to the motorists who park indiscriminately,” added Sgt Setterfield.

“We hope people realise the issues they sometimes cause and know that we will act in the future, with council colleagues, to issue tickets to keep school staff, pupils and pedestrians safe.”

The action was welcomed by Don Valley MP Caroline Flint, who has been leading a recent campaign for Doncaster Council to take action on speed, parking and road safety around the borough’s schools.