Parents face £50 fine as parking ban rolls out

Parents could face a fine of up to £50 when taking their children to school as a new parking ban rolls out in Coventry.

The new scheme sees temporary road closures being put in place outside five schools across the city at pick-up and drop-off times on weekdays.

The measure has already been trialled at Knights Templar Way for 12 months and will start at Southfields Primary School, Stanton Bridge Primary School, Cardinal Wiseman RC School and Ravensdale Primary School from Wednesday.

Restrictions will be in place for 18 months before being reviewed by Coventry City Council.

Residents living within the restricted zones have welcomed the new measures.

One told BBC CWR: "You come back from shopping, you can't get parked, you have to park somewhere else without blocking someone else in.

"The school does help by fetching people but it's the time and inconvenience."

Another added: "When you approach them, they are not readily sorry for what they have done."

The restrictions will not apply to residents with permits, pedal cycles, emergency services, maintenance vehicles and school buses

Council bosses hope the ban will help to reduce congestion, air pollution and encourage people to cycle or walk to and from school.

The new rules will not apply to residents with permits, pedal cycles, emergency services, maintenance vehicles and school buses.

Those who continue to park in the restricted zones and are spotted by police face a £50 fixed penalty notice.

John Seddon, the local authority's head of transport and infrastructure said the safety of pupils as they went in and out of school was one of the primary driving forces behind the scheme.

He said: "The outcome we want is more people cycling or walking with their kids to school rather than driving them in."

When and where are restrictions in place?

Southfields Primary School

Roads affected: East Street between Paynes Lane and Napier Street and South Street between East Street and Read Street

Times driving is banned: Weekdays between 08:15 BST -09:15 and 15:15 - 15:45

Stanton Bridge Primary School

Road affected: Oliver Street between Freeman Street and its cul de sac end

Times driving is banned: Weekdays between 08:00 -09:00 and 15:00-16:00

Cardinal Wiseman RC School

Road affected: Potters Green Road between Woodway Lane and Frankwell Drive

Times driving is banned: Weekdays between 08:30 - 09:30 and 14:45 - 15:45

Ravensdale Primary School

Road affected: Ravensdale Road for its whole length

Times driving is banned: Weekdays between 08:15 - 09:15 and 15:00 - 16:00

Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.