New cameras could tackle illegal school parking

City-wide cameras to catch parents parking illegally while dropping off their kids at school could be installed.

Bristol City Council will meet on Thursday to decide whether to introduce a trial of CCTV that can automatically read drivers’ number plates.

A report concluded current enforcement was difficult for many reasons, including the fact traffic wardens could not be at all 160 schools in the city.

It said: “Increasing the number of civil enforcement officers is not a cost-effective solution, so officers have been exploring other technical opportunities."

More than 140 school parking fines were issued in one month in Lincolnshire when the area trialled similar CCTV cameras.

Drivers caught stopping in the restricted zones were fined £70.

“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.

“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," said the report for the transport and connectivity policy committee.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the Derby City Council had been ‘very innovative’ in tackling the problem.

The report said: “Officers would like to explore these options in more detail by talking to Derby City Council to better understand their experience."

The report said the cost of the scheme could be covered by money generated from parking fines.

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