Safety first on the school run

And those who ignore the advice face being told off by teams of police and council officers who will be keeping an eye on parking.

East Dunbartonshire Council’s Community Protection Team has produced a leaflet to help inform parents about how they can ensure children are kept safe travelling to and from school.

The leaflet highlights some important ‘dos’ and don’ts’ and also offers some advice on alternative transport options that can help reduce traffic congestion around the school.

Alongside Police Scotland colleagues, the team will be visiting schools throughout the area over the coming months to monitor parking outside the school gates and to speak to parents about how they can reduce the risks.

Increased traffic and congested roads are two of the major objections parents have made regarding the series of new merged primary schools being opened under the council’s Primary School Improvement Project (PSIP)

Council leader Rhondda Geekie said: “Now that the children have all returned to school after the summer holidays we want to remind parents about the importance of driving and parking safely around schools.

Motorists have to be extra vigilant and consider pedestrians in the area when trying to find a safe place to drop off their children.

“Often the roads around the schools are heavily congested and we know that it can be stressful trying to find a parking space on busy roads when children are crossing.

“This leaflet produced by the Community Protection Team is very useful for parents and offers some great tips on how to ensure everyone stays safe at the school gates.”

School parking is one of the community safety priorities identified bythe council in partnership with Police Scotland.