Parking and travel safety issues at Blairgowrie community campus have again come to the fore.
Residents in the area of the campus have reportedly been advised to contact the police should they be affected by people’s parking during the school run.
Councillor Caroline Shiers said that she receives a number of complaints about the ongoing situation at the campus. She said: “As local councillors, Bob Ellis, Liz Grant and I have all met with the head teachers of Newhill and St Stephen’s primary schools to discuss this issue.
“The campus was built with a view that kids would walk to school. Measures would be in place to aid this as a safe option.
The fact is that the promised measures should have been in place before the school opened.
They were not and we are now dealing with a situation which is causing frustration for everyone.
“While it is the responsibility of parents to get their children to school, there needs to be a safe and easy way to drop children off.
“We need to look at encouraging children to walk or cycle safely and I welcome the current I-Bike scheme. Parents are frustrated, they want to walk their children to school but feel it isn’t safe to do so.
“Residents are frustrated by people parking across driveways and on the pavement. This will only get worse, we need to work out solutions now.
“I am meeting with roads officers this week and we will discuss options. We will look at properly signed drop off zones an enforce campus 20mph speed limits.”
One parent said: “I would be concerned to let my children walk to school as there is nowhere safe to cross the road.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “Parents of children attending the schools at Blairgowrie community campus have previously been asked to ‘park and stride’. A letter was sent out earlier this year advising that access for parking would be only for staff and nursery parents dropping off and picking up their kids.
“The council is aware of concerns raised by residents living nearby, we would ask drivers not to block residents’ access when parking.
“Work is continuing on the travel plan and the use of Hazelwood Road for ‘park and stride’.
“The junior road safety officers on campus are working with the council’s road safety and design team on the iBike initiative.
“We would also encourage parents and carers to consider using possible alternatives to the car on the school run.”
