resident's parking schemes

[treaclefight]

a soon to be imposed residents parking scheme means that we will have to pay to take our children to school even though residents parking permits will be free. almost all parents blood is boiling on this as it's not like we have a choice about using our cars as most of us have to be at work 15 minutes later and it's not like there's empty seats in our cars, we think we're already being as efficient and considerate as possible. i realise school runs are the bane of all other commuters lives, but how can we make life easier, for ourselves or anyone else? i cant help thinking that parking fees will only affect the people who are worst off....

[coggles]

Hello Treacle, has anybody approached your local M.P.? It might be worth starting a petition and seeing where that gets you. Just an idea, good luck.

[treaclefight]

oh yes coggles, there are so many threats or paramilitary action that im going to have to form a legitimate wing so that we can get something done and the letters of complaint and petition being organised. my question here is more aimed at making sure that we're not being as narrowminded as the council seem to be, coz we seem to have a million complaints but no supporters for the scheme, i suppose i'm looking for comprimises :-D

[woofgang]

Please don't yell but have the parents considered setting up a walking bus?

[treaclefight]

thanks woofgang, thats the sort of input i need, (its a sensible suggestion, and i wouldnt shout at you even if it was silly), we do have a walking bus already and the people who run it will be penalised too as they still have to get to work straight aftwerwards so need cars, its also worth mentioning that we cant club together and get one of us to drive a minibus as they will be refused permits as the vehicle is too long / high.

[coggles]

How about finding out the names of all the people who imposed this and asking them if they would like to come and pick up all the children and take them to school!

[archbishop]

I presume treacle that the resident parking has been imposed around the school. Obviously the local residents have complained about inconsiderate parking ( not you of course, oh no.) by parents on the school run and this is the councils answer.I live next door to 3 schools and because of residents complaints restricted parking has been introduced. Some parents drive one child to school when I know they literally live 5 mins walk away. It's like Piccadilly Circus between 8.45-9.15 and 2.45-3.30.

[number8]

Probably deviating from the subject a bit, but the school run is one of my biggest pet hates - people who drop their kids off at school on the way to work are not a problem as they are not adding top the traffic burden, equally where the public transport links are poor (e.g, living in a rural area and having to come into town) driving kids to school is not a luxury it is a neccesity..............BUT, those people who drive their kids to school when they live reasonably close of public transport is OK and then go straight home afterwards (and I've seen it) should be shot - it is completely unneccesary and is just down to laziness. There is simply no excuse - let your kids get the bus, if you don't want them to get the bus, let them cycle, if you don't want them to cycle, let them walk, if you are scared of your little darlings walking on their own, THEN WALK WITH THEM - and from the evidence I've seen over the years, half of them could do with the exercise.

[bobbobley]

i can't work out how it is you will have to pay to take your children to school. don't you just drop them off outside? where are the parking charges incurred? sorry if i'm being a bit thick here.

[treaclefight]

yep scubaboy, i agree, thats the sort of car use that should be discouraged and i have no problem with that at all. bob, the reason we cant just drop our kids and run is that we're talking about a primary school and nursery, you have to see the kids into school and you have to physically be in the playground to take them out of school again. parents are very involved with the school so you have to take into account class assembleys that parents are encouraged to attend, after school sports matches and the amount of parents who assist in classes and on school trips, you weren't being thick at all as it seems the local council comittee underestimated how involved primary school parents are. if it sounds like thats not working parents doing this, then you'd be suprised how many can arrange to arrive an hour late for work twice a term or leave an hour early in order to support their children and we do feel this discourages that support.

[inferno]

How is Salisbury these days?

[Miss Zippy]

Yet another form of indirect taxation that no doubt claims to be for the good of the environment/community blah blah and which, as you point out, simply further burdens those who can least afford it. Rant aside, I think this kind of problem is a sign of the times in the sense that it seems to me to highlight the fact that there's very little sense of community anymore. We're all so wrapped up in our own little worlds, we don't have time to think about and implement relatively simple solutions. If parents worked together to devise rotas where they take it in turns to take their and their neighbour's/friend's children into school, then, on the basis that you can fit 3 to 4 children in your average family car, this would see problems reduce three or four-fold. Apologies if I'm overlooking some fundamental flaw to this solution :0)

[treaclefight]

thanks zippy, that is something to be encouraged, but most of us that are complaining already have a car full, ive got 3 kids myself all at primary school and we collect another on the way, and there's lots of childminders bringing in 7 or 8 children. we' be the first to acknowledge that things can be improved and kids put pressure on us to act too, i guess that might be why this seems such a slap in the face, it knocks out the goodwill that existed so far. something that has just made me think of tho... if we cant go into school to drop / collect kids, then we cant meet up / talk / organise these things, the more this goes on the more i think the council's plan may be counterproductive. keep it up everyone, this is very constructive, thankyou.

[treaclefight]

oops, missed out the archbishop and another good point, sorry. the residents complaints, and ours too, are directed at office and shop workers who take advantage of the free parking previosuly available and only 5 minutes walk from the town centre. targetting this problem will benefit residents and parents alike by freeing up many spaces, so we dont want the scheme abandoned, but we do want it administered more fairly. a parent permit will allow parking for the 'piccadily circus' hours, but the assemblies and sports matches and reading groups etc that go on outside those hours will not be covered, we would have to pay and display like the non-residents for parking when we help at the school and support our children. thats the main sticking point, in addition the council have provided the school with day tickets for parents helping on school trips, but the school has to pay for these, so the LEA fund the school, who then have to pay the council if they encourage parents to assist them and as most parents will know, schools depends heavily on parental involvement, now i can show how thick i am by saying to inferno that i didnt get the salisbury reference :-)

[tracymort]

We do the walking bus, apart from being good for the enviroment, you and your children's health it is also an education. My son's learn alot by walking, names of plants and flowers, counting door numbers, spelling street names and not to mention road safety. It bugs me when I pass parents getting their kids in the car and I can actually beat them to the school still! It can be beneficial for boys in particular who often need to burn off energy a bit before settling down to work at school.