Extra staff are to be taken on to crack down on dangerous, anti-social and illegal parking around schools across Brighton and Hove.
Three additional parking enforcement officers will join the council’s enforcement contractor NSL, subject to the agreement of councillors next week.
Most of the £83,000 cost will be funded from the proceeds of parking tickets, with even 10 tickets a day throughout the school year likely to prove more than enough.
There are already two dedicated parking wardens for schools as children arrive and leave but some head teachers and councillors have signalled a need for more.
Members of Brighton and Hove City Council are due to vote whether to approve the extra staff at a meeting at Hove Town Hall next Tuesday (20 March).
The decision is to be taken by the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee after a letter from two Tories, opposition leader Councillor Tony Janio and Councillor Lee Wares.
The council said: “During the last academic year, more than half (45) of schools in Brighton and Hove asked the council for enforcement visits to deal with inconsiderate and dangerous parking on school ‘keep clear’ road markings.
“Currently two assigned enforcement officers have been visiting one school in the morning and one in the afternoon.
“But the additional resource will more than double their capability which will mean they will be able to attend more schools more frequently.
“If agreed by the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, the council will also buy two new scooters to enable officers to respond more quickly to reported problems.
“Other planned improvements include more action weeks to raise awareness of inconsiderate parking and a ‘one-stop shop’ page of advice for schools, parents and carers on the (council’s) website.”
Councillor Gill Mitchell, who chairs the committee, said: “Putting in extra enforcement officers will help make the areas around our schools safer and reduce illegal parking.
“The additional officers will be able to help with telephone complaints and provide extra patrols.
“We also propose bringing together the information about our school travel and road safety services which encourage walking to school and less parking outside schools so schools have a ‘one-stop shop’ information resource.”
The council said: “There are 71 enforceable school keep clear road markings in the city so more enforcement will be carried out with schools in areas outside of controlled parking zones.
“Requests to the council to take action on school parking outside of parking zones have increased by more than 100 per cent in two years.
“The council’s school travel team will continue to work closely with the parking enforcement team to offer resources to schools to help tackle parking issues.
“Funding for the extra officers will be paid for by penalty charge notice (PCN) income (80 per cent) with 20 per cent coming out of the parking services budget.”
‘Areas outside of controlled parking zones’ – are there any?
The parking of parents outside Brighton College prep and pre-prep school is appalling. Parents double part, park on pavements, on double yellow lines, on junctions and in motorcycle bays. In the past I have been told by wardens that they won’t patrol outside this school as the parents are too aggressive!
Cars parked dangerously and illegally on upper drive and greyfriars. Can’t get buggy through without having to walk on road as cars so far parked on pavement. Look forward to improvement
Dave – I agree completely. These parents really are appalling and have no sense of shame.
Some form of local residents action group is required….