Parking ban on hold - for now (From Warrington Guardian)

Parking ban on hold - for now

Parents will find out in January if they are to be banned from parking near their children's school.

Cheshire's joint highways committee deferred its decision over Egerton School at a meeting last week to give them more time to support or object.

"As far as I know it was deferred so the school can gather more information from parents," said a Cheshire County Council spokesman on Monday.

The plans were unveiled in June after headteacher John Manning told how a few inconsiderate drivers had risked pupils' safety outside the school.

Teachers and governors asked for parking to be restricted in Bexton Road to improve safety. Mr Manning said he had seen children almost injured on the road during his 25 years at the school.

Traffic experts have already met to discuss banning parking in the cul-de-sac area of Bexton Road between 8am and 6pm.

Egerton originally asked for hour-long restrictions during school opening and closing times only.

But highways officials believed the shorter bans would be difficult to enforce.

A survey five years ago showed 58% of pupils arrived by car and more than half of their journeys were less than a mile. Parents are now urged to park at Booths Supermarket and walk their children to school.