Whittlesea council is issuing as many as 10 fines a day to parents who illegally park in bus bays outside schools.
In the first school term of the year, the council has fined 88 people for parking in a bus zone near one school.
Acting governance manager Colleen Lazenby said the council’s main concern was the safety of children in school zones, as well as other road users and pedestrians.
“Our local laws officers regularly visit streets surrounding schools each morning and afternoon, around drop-off and pick-up times,” she said. “On average, we issue five to 10 fines a day during school terms.”
“Our officers also … educate parents about road safety, and we walk the area around schools reminding parents of parking restrictions, which contribute to the safety of children and families,” Ms Lazenby said.
In its latest newsletter to parents, Epping Views Primary School’s council advises parents to call local laws officers if they see people parking illegally outside the school.
School council president Joanne Gellel said the problem is growing and is now compounded by the number of children attending the Mansfield Street school.
“The school is bursting at the seams, with 1430 students when it was built for 420 students.
“It’s more of a safety concern because the bus stop is right in front of the [school] gates. I see it happen all the time,” she said.
Drop-off zones
The school has been in talks with Whittlesea council to have a three-minute drop-off zone installed in Lyndarum Drive in time for the start of second term.
To help alleviate parking problems during school drop-off times, Whittlesea council will put on more school crossing supervisors and there will be a new school crossing at the top end of Dunolly Street and Lyndarum Drive.
Parking rules often disobeyed around schools include illegally stopping to let a child out at a school crossing, or parking in a bus zone to drop off or pick up passengers.
