Illegal Parking Near Devon's Schools

A charity wants more safety precautions put in place around Devon's schools, to reduce the risk of children being run over.

Almost half of Devon's kids are driven into school each morning, and at the start of a new year, Living Streets says there needs to be a clampdown on parents parking illegally, creating dangerous situations, around our schools.

They want an exclusion zone around schools, to reduce the risk of children being knocked down as they have to walk between moving cars, as well as cutting congestion & pollution around schools.

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said: "We strongly believe an exclusion zone around schools is worthwhile for many reasons: it stops parents being stuck in congestion but also reduces the potential for collisions around the school gates.

"We would really like to see schools and local councils promote more 'park and stride' schemes to give children the chance to get some much-needed fresh air and activity in their day. This isn't about making life difficult for parents but creating a safe and pleasant environment around the school, whilst helping children lead more active lifestyles in the face of rising obesity levels.

Certain measures are already in place in parts of Devon - for example - Plymouth has a camera car in use around schools to record parents illegally parking, or waiting on zig-zag lines.