Over 3,500 parking warnings issued to Coventry parents outside schools since September 2024 due to a School Street trial promoting safer roads.
This trial lasts eighteen months. It aims for safer roads and cleaner air near schools by managing traffic. The council funds the scheme. Vehicle access gets restricted near primary schools when kids arrive or leave.
The council charges £50 for unauthorized road use, hoping to encourage walking and cycling. They aim to create safer, car-free zones for kids. Specific roads get closed during school times, improving the environment.
These changes address parking problems experienced by residents near schools. School gate parking creates extra traffic. Cardinal Wiseman and Templars Primary participate, along with Stanton Bridge, Ravensdale, and Southfields. All are part of this eighteen-month trial.
Roads near these schools ban drivers on weekdays during pick-up and drop-off. Residents with permits, emergency vehicles, and school buses are exceptions. People caught driving face a £50 fine, potentially rising to £70 via ANPR cameras after monitoring and consultation.
These rules don’t affect permit holders or cyclists. Emergency services, maintenance vehicles, and school buses can use roads. Coventry issued 3,500 warnings and 337 fines involving Knights Templar, Ravensdale, Cardinal Wiseman, Southfields, and Stanton Bridge.
The council states this is a trial phase and they are still learning. The goal is safer routes to school and improved air quality. Throughout the trial, the council will seek feedback and believes fines will decrease over time as people adapt to the new rules.
