BACK TO SCHOOL! - Advice when parking outside schools

Dear Resident

Police back-to-school advice focuses on keeping children safe during the commute, protecting personal property, and obeying parking rules near school gates. Pick-up and drop-off times are busy outside schools. This can cause an increased safety risk to both children and parents.

Parking restrictions outside schools are there to keep you and your children safe. Parking inconsiderately can put people in danger and you also risk being fined. It’s important that motorists follow the Highway Code.

Road and Travel Safety

Keep clear of zigzags: Do not park, wait, or stop on the yellow "School Keep Clear" zigzag markings outside school entrances, as outlined by Police.uk.

Stay alert: Remind children to put phones away and remove at least one headphone earbud so they can hear traffic and surroundings while walking.

Travel in groups: Walk with friends or family, especially as autumn and winter bring darker, shorter days. Stick to well-lit, familiar routes and avoid isolated shortcuts.

Personal Security and Valuables

Hide valuables: Advise older children and teenagers not to walk with expensive mobile phones or gadgets on show, which can make them targets for street robbery.

Be aware: Stay mindful of surroundings rather than being distracted by music or messaging.

Report issues: Report any suspicious behaviour or safety concerns immediately to the school and the police.

Parking restrictions outside schools

Understanding yellow zigzag markings

Most school entrances and exits in the UK have yellow zigzag road markings with the writing ‘School Keep Clear’.

Zigzags can also be found at entrances and exits of hospitals, fire stations, police stations and ambulance stations. They indicate the part of the road where motorists should not wait, stop, or park a vehicle. 

Sometimes there may be an accompanying sign that shows specific times when these restrictions are in place. Motorists are legally allowed to park on the zigzags outside of these hours.

Both yellow and white zigzags also show areas that must be kept clear so that children and other road users can see clearly when crossing the road.

Parking on yellow zigzags

You can legally park on yellow zigzags under certain circumstances.

Yellow zigzags without accompanying signs advise motorists not to wait or park there at any time for the safety of children and others. We can and do issue tickets for parking on them, based on causing an obstruction to other motorists or pedestrians.

Some yellow zigzags have a single or double yellow line, which indicate different parking restrictions.

Find out more:

The Highway Code – Parking and Waiting

The Highway Code – Road Markings

Parking opposite yellow zigzags

You can legally park opposite yellow zigzags. However, this can make crossing the road more dangerous, especially for children. Some schools have yellow zigzags on both sides of the road for this reason.

Safety tips for parking outside schools

When picking up or dropping off children at schools, you should do the following:

Fines

Local councils can issue motorists with penalty charge notices (PCN) for waiting, stopping, or parking on yellow zigzags if restrictions are in place. These are issued by civil enforcement officers.

Most parking or waiting fines are now enforced as a civil matter, rather than a police matter. A PCN does not result in a criminal record or points on a licence if dealt with by the council.

In some areas, the local council doesn't have civil parking enforcement powers. In these areas parking is enforced by us or by police-employed traffic wardens who will issue a fixed penalty notice (FPN). These are enforced through the criminal justice system.

Fines can vary depending on location. Stopping in a restricted area outside a school will result in a higher fine. The fee is also halved if paid within 14 days and you have 28 days to pay or challenge the fine.