Bristol City Council to Implement CCTV for Illegal School Parking Enforcement

Cameras are set to be installed to identify parents parking unlawfully during the school run, as part of a city-wide pilot program. Bristol City Council reached a unanimous agreement on Thursday to introduce CCTV technology capable of automatically scanning the number plates of drivers parked outside schools and subsequently issuing fines. A council report indicated that current enforcement efforts have been challenging, particularly given that traffic wardens cannot be present at all 160 schools across the city. Chris Barratt, principal of Summerhill Academy in St George, commented: “It’s a really complex problem. It sounds like it [CCTV] could be part of the solution.” The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that a similar initiative piloted in Lincolnshire resulted in over 140 school parking fines being issued within one month. Mr Barratt stated that parents parking illegally outside his school “happens all the time.” He added: “Some of them don’t feel like they can help it.” He continued: “We completely understand people need to get to school and back and everyone has got a really busy life but, at the same time, we need to prioritise children getting to school safely.” He also noted: “It would be best if people would be able to obey all of the traffic rules.” He concluded by saying: “You can’t click your fingers and solve these things otherwise someone would have done it a while ago.” Parent Nikki Macdonald, whose child attends the school, remarked: “The lines are there for safety, for a reason. You shouldn’t park there.” She further suggested: “Maybe temporarily they [parents] will have to keep a beady eye on the cameras and wardens more.” Katherine Ogden, headteacher of King’s Oak Academy in Kingswood, stated: “We do need to address the issue.” She added that traffic wardens and police only provided a “short-term effect” for them. A council report indicated that the cost of the scheme could be financed by revenue generated from parking fines. The start date for the scheme and the specific amount drivers could be fined have not yet been announced.