Parents in the Oakbank Road school ‘hotspot’ area of Perth have hit out about dangerous traffic congestion and driving as their children return to class this week.
New measures put in by the council have narrowed the main road between two primary and two secondary schools, while simultaneously restricting car access in surrounding roads.
It has led to motor misery with families asking kids to walk as they cannot access the school drop-off and other parents pressing on in cars regardless.
Pupils from Perth Academy, Perth High School, Oakbank and Viewlands Primary are walking to school because new traffic restrictions are leading to gridlock around Oakbank Road and Fairies Road with cars and buses backed up to the roundabout.
Alarmed parents claim the School Exclusion Zone - an attempt to reduce cars parking near the schools during key hours - seems to have made it more dangerous as large numbers of children are now negotiating queuing cars on foot and unattended crossing points.
Additionally, a scheme to narrow the road to reduce speeds is said to have created new issues with cars mounting the pavements and others not letting vehicles going the other way past.
One dad with kids at Perth Academy contacted the PA, calling the situation “pandemonium, an absolute nightmare”.
He claimed the problem stems from a section of Fairies Road recently being made out of bounds to all but school staff and taxis with permits.
The School Exclusion Zone was put in force before the holidays and was untested until children went back on Wednesday.
The safety initiative aimed to stop traffic going behind Viewlands Primary and Perth High School. But it has restricted the options for parents dropping off and picking up their children.
The same parent highlighted a traffic island where previously a lollypop crossing patrol had operated. Now the island, put in place in May, is the main crossing point for pupils making their way to school.
“The island is a metre and a half long but only half a metre wide,” the concerned parent added. “It’s way too narrow to offer safety to youngsters in big numbers crossing the road.
“A zebra crossing light has been installed on the piddly island but the flashing light isn’t working and there is no zebra crossing painted on the road.
“I’m really concerned about the safety of this crossing.”
He took in a scene of “pandemonium” on the first day of term, Wednesday this week. He claimed narrowed pavements led to 15 to 20 cars stuck in queues in the morning by Viewlands Primary.
Returning for day two yesterday, he took a video when he saw the congestion building up again.
Furious parents took to social media, posting on Oakbank Community - Perth Scotland Facebook page.
“Mayhem here in Fairies Road this morning,” a post read.
It continued: “Despite three months of residents lobbying council and our councillors about safety and traffic concerns of the new pavement narrowing the width of the road, they pressed on and this is the predicted result.”
A resident commented on the effect of the School Exclusion Zone (SEZ): “The new scheme has created two things - much more dangerous parking directly outside the SEZ area, and far more people walking to and from school.
“The result = many more hazards, and many more people in danger of being hurt (or worse). This is far more dangerous than it ever was before the SEZ was devised and installed.”
Another fumed: “Absolutely mayhem!” with an image of a car having two wheels on the pavement in an effort to pass.
More people chipped in: “Accident waiting to happen. Thank goodness I don’t do a school run any more. No doubt it will cost another fortune to correct it in the future. Scandalous. Keep safe everyone.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokeswoman said: “There is nothing more important than the welfare of our children and young people and we would urge people to drive and park responsibly near schools.
“School Exclusion Zone trials have been created to restrict traffic during drop off and collection times to make it safer for pupils at the start and end of the school day and to encourage use of sustainable transport, rather than vehicles.
“We are in constant dialogue with parents - both before introduction of and throughout the trial areas being implemented - and while there is general support for these aims, a number of issues have been raised, such as a lack of crossing points and the need for designated pick up and drop-off points.
“We are seeking to address these issues as quickly as possible. Traffic signals, Puffin crossings, dropped kerbs and parking restrictions are planned at selected locations. It is anticipated that the trial exclusion zones will continue when the school term resumes, and we will continue to listen to feedback and evaluate the impact of the zones.
“This will correspond with a public consultation exercise with parents and residents about retaining, amending or removing each scheme.
“Police Scotland is responsible for enforcing exclusion zones but restrictions with zones, such as School Keep Clear markings or disabled bays are enforced by Council parking attendants.”
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