Plymouth child-size cut-outs in school safety drive

People with pushchairs have been forced onto the road at Holy Cross Catholic Primary, campaigners say

Child-size cartoon cut-outs are sending "illegal and inconsiderate" drivers a message not to park outside a Plymouth school's gates.

People with pushchairs have been forced on to the road by pavement parkers said Finola Gill, head teacher of Holy Cross Catholic Primary in Beaumont Road.

The cut-outs have the message: "Please keep us safe. Don't park here."

The safety drive, involving Plymouth City Council, is also seeing parking patrols by enforcement officers.

The nearest legal parking spaces are about 440 yards (400m) from the school gate, but some parents and carers have been parking illegally outside the gates, said the council.

A banner spreads the safety message at the school

Road safety officer Suzanne Keith said the walk from the legal spaces would take about eight minutes.

"We just want to make the area outside the school gates as safe as possible for all the young people walking to and from school," she said.

One parent, who was not named, said: "It's inner city and on the way into town, so it is busy round here.

"There will always be cars parked out here at pick-up and drop-off times.

"With 250 children, that's a lot of families picking up."

Ms Gill said the "eye-catching reminders" would "lead to a safer environment".

Parking had been "one of the biggest challenges" for her, she said.

"It's very dangerous at drop-off, with cars parked on pavements and double-yellow lines," she said.

"It [the campaign] has had an impact already and we need to sustain that over time."