Rugby & Bulkington MP Mark Pawsey spoke in the Chamber of the House of Commons this week to highlight the issue of congestion, and inconsiderate and illegal parking, around schools.
Mark has been campaigning for many years on this issue and has written to all local schools in the past seeking their help in tackling the ever increasing problem.
In the House of Commons Mark sought assurances from the Minister for Schools, the Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, that all was being done to ensure parking restrictions around school gates are being enforced.
Mark said:
“Many parents in Rugby have told me of their concerns about the dangers posed by congestion around school gates as they drop off their children at school and also pick them up at the end of the day.”
Mark continued:
“I have been campaigning on this issue for many years and will continue to do all I can to highlight this problem and also encourage more children and parents to walk and cycle to school. Warwickshire County Council will be investing £2.5m in the coming years to make journeys to schools safer and my hope is that this will enable, and encourage, more children and parents to leave the car at home and travel to their school by foot or bicycle.”
Responding to Mark’s question the Minister for Schools, the Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP said that this was also a problem in his own constituency of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton and that local councils should “promote sustainable travel and transport, in order to reduce the number of car journeys to schools.”