Bristol City Council to Weigh Camera Trial for Illegal School Parking

The potential installation of city-wide cameras designed to identify parents parking unlawfully during school drop-offs is under consideration. Bristol City Council is scheduled to convene on Thursday to determine whether to implement a trial involving CCTV technology capable of automatically scanning vehicle number plates. A report indicated that existing enforcement methods face challenges for various reasons, notably the impracticality of having traffic wardens present at all 160 schools across the city. The report stated: “Increasing the number of civil enforcement officers is not a cost-effective solution, so officers have been exploring other technical opportunities.” In Lincolnshire, a trial of comparable CCTV cameras resulted in over 140 school parking fines being issued within a single month. Motorists found stopping in designated restricted areas faced a £70 penalty. The report prepared for the transport and connectivity policy committee noted: “Camera enforcement is heavily restricted by legislation, but parking on ‘school keep clear’ markings, providing they are supported by a traffic regulation order, is one of the few [interventions] which can be enforced using camera technology.” It added: “We already have a camera car that is used to patrol schools but there is potential to deploy fixed cameras on a rotational basis to target particularly problematic areas.” The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Derby City Council has demonstrated a ‘very innovative’ approach in addressing this issue. The report indicated: “Officers would like to explore these options in more detail by talking to Derby City Council to better understand their experience.” Funding for the scheme, according to the report, could be sourced from revenue generated through parking fines.