NEW enforcement officers have been hired by Southend Council in a bid to tackle parents parking dangerously, on yellow lines and on pavements near schools.
Colin Campbell, Conservative councillor responsible for the Southchurch ward, has voiced his worry about pedestrian safety due to the actions of parents while dropping off and picking their children at schools around Hamstel Road.
A number of ‘school streets’ are in place in Southend, closing roads to cars during drop off and pick up time, and the enforcement officers will be tasked with enforcing this as well as monitoring schools where the scheme is not in place.
Mr Campbell raised the issue during a council meeting on Thursday and Labour leader, Daniel Cowan, confirmed three new officers have been employed.
During the meeting, he said he understands the difficulty parents face but said the council owes it to residents to keep the streets safe.
He added: “I am grateful to the leader of the council for committing to have a greater presence of civil enforcement officers during peak hours around the schools on Hamstel Road.
“I have had residents explain the issues caused by parents dropping off and picking up their kids.
“With the lack of available parking, it usually leads to motorists having to breach driving rules for yellow lines and parking on pavements, affecting local residents and increasing the risk of injury for pedestrians.
“We do not want to punish parents to taking their kids to school, and it will be down to each officer’s judgement whether to fine or advise drivers. However, we owe it to residents to enforce the rules and keep our streets safe.”
These officers are now carrying out enforcement patrols throughout the city.
This enhancement ensures better resource deployment and also facilitates cover later in the evenings, all week.
Furthermore, this will assist with monitoring activity around the city’s schools as pupils return from the summer break.
In the case of persistent non-compliance, a further two officers may be employed.
It was agreed in the budget amendment for 2024/25 to recruit three new civil enforcement officers.
The hiring cost for these additional three officers from August 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, is approximately £96,000, including equipment and uniform expenses.
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