Fresh measures to tackle indiscriminate parking on Kirkstall streets are set to be introduced following the introduction of an experimental social distancing scheme outside a primary school.
A street leading to Beecroft Primary School has been closed to traffic during the school run under council plans to extend the School Streets scheme to make streets safer for children to arrive at school.
It is also part of the climate emergency response to discourage driving to school and encourage children to walk, cycle or scoot and fits with a long-term campaign by Kirkstall Village Action Group for road closures or residents’ only parking on Sandford Road, which has struggled for many years with school parking.
Local residents have complained that the scheme, introduced earlier this month, has displaced parking onto Argie Avenue and the Gilberts.
The case has been taken up by Kirkstall’s three local councillors. Posting on Facebook, Cllr Fiona Venner said:
“We have been liaising with council officers to try to resolve this and they have been in regular communication with both schools.
“The following measures have been or will be put in place:
“1) Traffic wardens, police and council parking monitoring officers managing parking at school pick up and drop offs. This will continue for as long as it is needed. They will be particularly monitoring the Gilberts as we have told them that people seem to be moving around to avoid them. Some Beecroft parents have also volunteered to help manage parking. Parent volunteers have been part of the other School Streets Schemes across Leeds.
“2) Coning to prevent parking on parts of Argie Avenue. The coning will be expanded to crossing points where people have been parking.
“3) There is a ‘park and stride’ scheme at the Milford Sports Club where people can park and walk to the schools. The New Burley Club have agreed to be a second Park and Stride side, providing another parking option for parents. Both schools will promote these schemes to their families and will, also, continue to encourage parents not to drive to school if they live within walking distance.
4) Additional signage will be put up and, also, additional lines on the road to prevent parking.
“We will continue to monitor this situation to see if the measures above have the required impact on reducing congestion on Argie Avenue.”
Cllr Venner urged anyone with questions to contact her on fiona.venner@leeds.gov.uk.
As previously reported in May, Pudsey Primrose Hill Primary was one of six schools across Leeds to have the road leading to it closed off with cones and signs to make social distancing easier for parents taking their children to school.
Last month Beecroft Primary School and Hollybush Primary in Bramley were named as two West Leeds schools out of eight across the city who are taking part in the latest round of the scheme.