Tipton pupils take road safety message to school gates
Schoolchildren in Tipton are urging drivers to park safely and not block their school entrance with cars.
St Paul’s Church of England Academy is working with Sandwell Council’s highways team to tackle parking problems at the school in Robert Road.
The authority has helped the school improve signage and create parking bays due to problems with people using the school grounds as a car park.
Children at the school have also designed a banner to promote safe parking and to ask drivers to take more care outside the school.
St Paul's is asking the community to be aware that the access road leading to the school is part of the school grounds and is not a highway – and that only school traffic should be going onto the site.
School principal Anna McGuire said: “We are all thrilled with our new road safety banner, which promotes safe and considerate parking at St. Paul’s Church of England Academy in Tipton.
“Parking issues have been exacerbated in the last few months by Tipton train station commuters using car parking spaces designated for our parents and children.
“Sandwell Council have been supportive in helping us to improve this situation, by providing new signage and carriage way markings which will hopefully reduce the parking issues that we currently have.”
Councillor Jackie Taylor, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for sustainable transport, added: "Keeping children safe at our schools is a top priority.
"The school was experiencing serious congestion on their driveway which was putting children at risk on their way to and from school.
“I hope the banner and also the parking bays will remind people that the spaces are for parents and carers only and that visitors to the school need to park and drive safely on the school site.”
