CCTV van to fine bad parkers outside school

A CCTV van designed to catch illegal parkers outside a city primary school is set to be brought into action next week.

The mobile enforcement van will be stationed outside Pitmaston Primary School in Worcester in a bid to put a stop to years of illegal and dangerous parking in Malvern Road.

Drivers who are caught will be issued with fines.

Cllr Alan Amos, who represents the city and county’s Bedwardine ward, hoped the CCTV van would stop “persistent, dangerous, and selfish” parking outside the school.

“I have been pushing to get this for well over a year and I was determined that it went ahead. We need to act before anybody gets injured, it’s too late afterwards,” he said.

“It may mean that people dropping off and picking up children will have to walk a few yards but that is good and the children need the exercise, as we all do.

“Selfish parking has now caused serious safety issues as far away as Hanbury Park Road, and beyond.

“It was clear that we needed new thinking and bold action, hence the introduction of this mobile van which will clock offenders who will then automatically receive the parking fines a week or so later.

“Nobody will receive a ticket if they park legally but if they continue to endanger the lives and safety of the children and other pedestrians, then they will be caught.

“There is a lot of interest in this project across the county so I hope it works and can be rolled out across Worcestershire.”

The six-month trial will be funded by Worcestershire County Council with city officers reviewing whether the camera van could be cost-effective.

The camera will also be used to enforce resident parking schemes outside of term time.

The van was supposed to have been put in place last May but was scrapped for being too expensive.

Cllr Amos said that despite money being available from the county council, it was the city council that pulled the plug on the plan after it was found that not enough fines would have been issued to break even.