Crackdown on 'dangerous' school parking in Doncaster

The crackdown is the latest project for the community police officers covering the Doncaster West area, and follows complaints made by residents, rather than schools themselves.

Neighbourhood inspector Dan McKnight said: "We have had complaints of schools parking chaos around 9am and 3pm at numerous locations across Doncaster West, so now we're looking at enforcement against people parking outside schools where it has been reported as dangerous.

"Denaby is one of the areas where we have had reports, but we will be looking at a wider area. It is something that is being mentioned more and more to us at the present time from people living in the vicinity of the schools. We will be fair. We will go down and give advice, and then take enforcement action if advice is not taken.

"PCs and PSCOs will both being going out."

They are expecting to act where people are parking on double yellow lines, zig-zag lines, or where pavements are being completely blocked.

It is the latest parking issue to be highlight with the community officers serving the area.

Officers are already looking into issues at Adwick Road and Arnold Crescent, in Mexborough, after concerns were raised over parking in the area, which is near the Montagu Hospital.

Local councillors have complained about the Adwick Road situation as well as residents, and it is currently one of the three priorities for action which were set at a Mexborough community engagement meeting.

The meeting also called for action on nuisance bikers at Derwent Road, Plumpton Avenue, Coniston Road and Hirstgate, which is said to happening in the evening on most days.

Insp McKnight agrees there is an issue of nuisance bikers, but says Mexborough is not the worst hotspot in the area.

"We get reports of nuisance bikers all across Doncaster, There are a lot of complaints in Conisborough, around Steetly Quarry, and Askern is another area where there seems to be a issue. We're working proactively with Doncaster Council to tackle this and seize bikes.

"We are going where these people go, and have been quite successful in catching them. There are the Sunday riders, who don't realise they're an annoyance, and there are those who wear balaclavas and ride round the road the wrong way. They often dispose of their bikes and run off if our officers get behind them.

"Conisbrough is probably the hot spot because of Steetly."

Thieves target lorries' fuel

Lorries have been targeted by thieves in a spate of fuel raids in the west of Doncaster.

Trucks drivers have seen their fuel stolen from their diesel tanks while they have been parked up sleeping in lay-bys in the borough on its roads close to the A1(M), say police.

Insp McKnight said: "Drivers have woken up and found their diesel has been stolen. They have been parked in lay-bys in places like Marr and Hickleton."

Meanwhile, the neighbourhood has also seen a rise in break-ins into vans.

Officers are urging van owners to make sure they take their tools out of their vehicles overnight.

Extra police on streets of Edlington

Police have added an extra police community support officer to Edlington to try to help the crackdown on antisocial behaviour in the village.

The officer will patrol the streets and engage with residents in the area, which has been targeted by police after concerns were raised about nuisance issues around the Royal estate in the former pit village. He was deployed at the start of April.

But police say reports of antisocial behaviour have fallen compared with 12 months ago and officers believe they are seeing success in dealing with the problem.

Insp McKnight said: "Most people in Edlington to not have a problem with anti-social behaviour - it is 80-90 per cent based in the Royal Estate.

He said the force had a week of action in March, during the week which started on March 19, were officers worker with trading standards Edlington, as well as Conisbrough and Denaby. Trading standards officers, St Leger Homes staff, and car licensing authorities also took part in the action.

Among the actions taken was a number of cannabis plants seized, and illegal cigarettes confiscated from shops, as well as a clean-up of Denaby Crags.