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. 

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 persistently park in the 'school keep clear’ markings. This means we will issue a Penalty Charge Notice (parking fine) to persistent offenders.

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.

During August 2025, Derby City Council will begin installing cameras on the streets listed below, on behalf of Cheshire East Council, as part of the Safe Haven programme:

• 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.

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 and avoid blocking driveways
• 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