School traffic camera earns council £4k in fines

Between the camera's installation in September 2024 and the end of the school year, 119 fines were issued

A traffic camera installed outside a school has clocked up £4,000 in fines for drivers ignoring parking restrictions.

The camera was set up by Walsall Council at St Bernadette's Catholic School on Narrow Lane in Brownhills in September 2024, leading to 119 fines being levied.

The primary school, at the end of the residential cul-de-sac, has yellow zigzag restrictions, meaning drivers must not park or stop.

But despite the restrictions being in place for many years, the council said drivers continued to flout the rules as they perceived the "chance of enforcement to be low".

Of the 119 fines were issued by APCOA Parking Ltd, just seven were quashed following appeal.

The figures were provided to the Local Democracy Reporting Service in a Freedom of Information request.

"The enforcement camera was installed to improve compliance with the clear restrictions installed directly outside the school entrance to maintain safety for our school children," a council spokesperson said.

"Despite the restriction being in place for many years, motorists were regularly parking in the restricted area when they perceived the chance of enforcement to be low.

"Since camera enforcement has been introduced, compliance with the restriction has improved and this is expected to continue improving."