Parents Face Crack Down

2.11.07pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 2nd Sep 2003

The government is set to crackdown on parents who drive their children to school when public transport alternatives are available. The crackdown is likely to take the form of demands that every school sets targets for reducing car commuting and proposes plans for 'green' transport.

Several local schools already have such plans and they have been made a condition for approval for new or expanded local schools - like Orleans, Trafalgar and St James RC.

Vincent Cable, MP, has tabled questions to Ministers seeking clarification of what is entailed by the announcement made earlier this summer by Alistair Darling for a "crackdown". He said:

"The 'school run' is undoubtedly a very real problem. Local roads are significantly less congested in school holidays and large numbers of parents are taking their kids short distances to school by car when earlier generations used their feet. The areas around some schools, like Hanworth Road - where there are two private secondary schools and Hampton Community College - and Strawberry Hill - with St James and the Mall - are massively congested at peak hours".

"The problem with the government's aggressive language however is that it is not matched by action. The private schools, which are amongst the biggest generators of school run journeys are not covered by the government's plans. Bus companies are not as co-operative as they could be - as a parent's group trying to organise public transport to the new St. Mary's school on the Orleans site has discovered. The council also needs to take a strong lead in promoting ideas like school 'crocodiles' - organised lines of children walking to school together for safety".