Safe Haven pilot scheme

Creating a safer environment outside schools

Parking issues around school drop-off and pick-up times are a long-standing concern for parents, residents and the council.

The area outside a school can be a busy and challenging place, especially at the start and end of the school day. School Keep Clear markings are there to help children, parents, carers and local residents move around safely.

While we cannot manage all parking near schools, we can take action where stopping on School Keep Clear markings puts people at risk.

These markings help keep views clear for drivers and pedestrians, reduce congestion, and make school entrances safer for everyone. 

Parking dangerously or inconsiderately around schools at drop-off and pick-up times endangers other road users, particularly our school children and pedestrians crossing the road.

Some of our education and enforcement measures are proving to be only mildly effective and fleeting in terms of their impact on inconsiderate parking.

We are using camera technology to monitor driver behaviour outside school gates.

We will take enforcement action against drivers who park on the 'school keep clear’ markings. This means we will issue a Penalty Charge Notice (parking fine).

Camera enforcement

Derby City Council helped to develop an award-winning, camera system. Their trained parking services personnel manage the cameras that monitor ‘school keep clear’ markings. 

This innovative camera technology is designed to promote a safer environment around the school gates by reducing congestion. This in turn, contributes towards improved air quality. Local residents should benefit from improvements in driver behaviour and encourage motorists to reconsider the need to drive to school.

The cameras operate during school term-time only. They are only used for enforcement purposes in the ‘keep clear’ restriction time period, which can be seen on the yellow regulatory signs near to the road markings. Residential properties and school grounds are obscured from footage with a filter, to protect privacy.

As part of the Safe Haven programme, cameras have been installed at:

• Ivy Bank Primary School - Valley Road, Macclesfield
• Manor Park Primary School - Manor Park North, Knutsford
• St Vincents Catholic Primary School - Manor Park South, Knutsford
• Marlborough Primary School - Tytherington Drive, Tytherington

We assess data and our knowledge of the locations to decide where the cameras are to be installed or moved to. Technical requirements can also influence the suitability of a site for a camera.

We understand that the installation of cameras may raise some concerns and we assure you that all measures have been taken to comply with privacy laws and regulations. Our primary goal of this initiative is to create a safer environment outside our schools.

For further information, to highlight any concerns, or if you have any general suggestions, contact our team at: parkingenforcement@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

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How enforcement works

How Enforcement Works

To protect safety around schools, we enforce School Keep Clear restrictions where needed.

If a vehicle is observed stopping or parking on these markings:

• A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN may be issued)
• The notice will be sent by post to the registered keeper
• Drivers do not need to leave their vehicle for enforcement to apply – dropping off and picking up

This method allows enforcement to be carried out consistently and without adding to congestion at the school gate.

How you can help to keep areas outside school safe

Keeping our school area safe

For information on how you can help to keep our schools safe see our leaflet Safer Parking at the School Gate (PDF, 530KB).

You can help by

• keeping your speed low
• always letting your child out of your vehicle on to the pavement - never on to the road
• checking for pedestrians and cyclists before you or your child open the car door
• always stop for the school crossing patrol
• setting a good example to your child
• switch off your engine when your vehicle is parked for more than one minute
• parking further away from the school to reduce congestion
• being considerate of residents and other people
• not blocking the road - emergency vehicles and other traffic may need access
• not parking on yellow lines, zig-zags or block the school entrance
• not parking on the pavement, across dropped kerbs or residents' driveways
• not parking opposite or within 10 metres of a junction
• not parking where you will cause inconvenience to other road users
• not leaving your vehicle with the engine still running
• not stopping in the middle of the road to drop your child off, even for a few seconds

Paying a Penalty Charge Notice

See our page on Pay a parking penalty.