Parents back school parking crackdown

Amy Seddon, 36, drives her daughter to school and backs the use of CCTV to enforce parking restrictions

Parents have backed parking enforcement cameras outside their children's school, after a council said it had issued hundreds of fines to those ignoring restrictions.

Great Coates Primary, near Grimsby, is among 12 schools in a CCTV scheme designed to ensure the safety of children at drop-off and pick-up times.

North East Lincolnshire Council issued a total of 924 penalty charge notices across the sites between the start of the year and August.

Amy Seddon, 36, whose daughter attends Great Coates, said: "She will be starting to walk to school on her own soon, so the fact that they're stopping people from parking on the yellow lines is a really good idea."

Motorists are barred from stopping on yellow zig-zags during drop-off and pick-up times

The pupil, 9, said she thought the cameras were a good idea because when parents park on yellow lines, "kids nearly get knocked over".

The parking scheme was launched in 2022, with cameras installed at Great Coates Primary in December 2024 and at Reynolds Academy in Cleethorpes in January 2025.

Drivers caught stopping on yellow zig zag lines during restricted periods – on weekdays between 08:00-09:00 and 15:00-16:00 – can be issued with a £70 penalty charge notice, which is reduced to £35 if paid early.

The council said 52 fines had been handed out for infringements outside Great Coates in the year to August, along with 123 at Reynolds.

Paul Cox believes it is safer to cross the road because of the cameras

The greatest number of fines was issued for illegal parking outside Lisle Marsden Church of England Primary Academy, in Grimsby, with 134 penalty charge notices, according to the council.

Councillor Ron Shepherd, the communities portfolio holder at the council, said: "All children have the right to get to school safely and this is just one approach the council are using to make sure this is the case.

"Parking illegally endangers children and other pedestrians in the area.

"We will robustly continue to enforce in school areas."

As parents settled back into the school routine following the summer holidays, most who spoke to the BBC said they supported the scheme.

Aaron Powell says fewer drivers are now stopping outside the school

Paul Cox, 37, whose son attends Great Coates, said the cameras meant it was "safer" to cross the road.

"If it works for the safety of my child then that's a good thing," he added.

Aaron Powell, 37, who also has a son at the school said he fully supported the cameras and had seen a "big difference" in the behaviour of drivers in the restricted zone.

However, blue badge holder Billie-Jo Standley, 25, who also drives her daughter to the school, said she needed to park nearby because of a health condition.

"I understand it, but it's a bit annoying if you're running a bit late, and for me I've got my blue badge as well."

Nevertheless, she said the scheme was a good one because the area had been "over-crammed" and "ridiculous" before the cameras were installed.

Great Coates Primary and Reynolds Academy were approached for comment.

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