Warning letters will be sent to parents who have been clocked by pupils for parking offences near schools.
Four schools in Accrington have signed up to the police-backed scheme in a bid to improve child safety and address increasing complaints from residents and pedestrians.
Under the scheme students from St Peter’s CE primary school, Mount Carmel High School, Spring Hill primary school, and Hyndburn Park primary school will be able to take down registration numbers of offending motorists and hand them to police.
Offences include parking on zig-zag and double yellow lines, causing obstructions on roads or public footpaths, using a mobile phone and failing to comply with traffic signs.
Police officers will then send them a letter warning how could receive a fixed penalty notice in future, along with a letter from the school. The Observer reported last year how a similar scheme was launched last year involving five primary schools in Great Harwood.
PC Dave Render said he wanted to set up a scheme for Central and Spring Hill wards following its success and also numerous complaints from residents about parking problems.
He said: “We have been having a lot of parking problems outside schools and complaints from local residents abut parents dropping off children and blocking driveways.
“Notice boards have been put outside the schools and a group of children will monitor the road safety, advise people not to stop in those areas, and write down registration numbers of those who do and pass them to us.
“We want to improve road safety, raise awareness and prevent any accidents. There’s a lot of traffic outside schools and at times it can be dangerous.”
Banners and placards have been created by students including a poem from 10-year-old St Peter’s Primary school pupil Christine Birtwistle.
Karen Baron, a nursery nurse at the school in Fern Gore, said it is a ‘great idea’.
She said: “It is difficult to park at the school and we know it’s a problem as we don’t have a car park. We have been out with the children a few times trying to discourage people from driving up the road and we’ve also sent out letters. Hopefully by doing this drivers won’t pose as much of a problem to residents and keep children safe. The children have really got into it.”
