Officers begin crackdown on parents illegally parking outside Sheffield schools

PCSOs, working with parking services, visited St Catherine's School and Abbeyfield School yesterday morning in a crackdown on illegal parking.

The offices said that a driver was issued a ticket for parking on a double yellow line; resulting in a £70 fine.

Last year, drivers in Sheffield were named as the worst in Yorkshire for parking dangerously and illegally outside schools.

An investigation by The Yorkshire Post revealed that in 2016, 4,375 fines were dished out to the region’s drivers for parking in restricted areas outside schools, including on keep clear markings or yellow lines near school gates.

The highest number of fines were doled out in Sheffield, with 2,842 issued in 2016 and 841 in January to March 2017.

Sheffield Council revealed in January that year 113 primary school aged children had been injured - 32 seriously - in crashes across the city occurring at school pick-up and drop off times over the last five years.

Last year, police were called to Carfield Primary School when tempers flared over a demonstration staged by parents.

Parent and governor of eight years James Norton said: “There are a minority of selfish individuals who think the rules don’t apply to them and they can park on zig zag lines.

“There have been a number of near misses and sometimes you even get drivers reversing into the school gates area past children.

“There are many side roads and parents could park a street away but they can’t be bothered to walk 50 yards.”

Nottingham Police have issued guidance on the subject, stating that if there are road markings on a street then both parking and waiting to pick up school children are restricted.

A spokesperson said: "School 'keep clear' markings should always be kept clear of all traffic. Please let your Police Community Support Officer or Civil Enforcement Officer know if you see a vehicle regularly parking on them>"