A NEW safety scheme is using CCTV to help keep children safer on their journey to school.

City of York Council is launching a new camera car which patrols outside schools around the city at pick-up and drop-off times, to crack down on cars parked illegally and unsafely.

The scheme, which is supported by North Yorkshire Police, was brought about after head teachers complained about dangerous parking outside their schools, and staff in the car can issue £70 Fixed Penalty Notices to badly parked cars from next month.

Jane Nellar, head teacher of St.Lawrence C of E VA Primary School, said: “We all want our children to be safe.

“If this initiative saves the life, or prevents the injury, of even one child and makes drivers think carefully about where to park, then it will have had a great impact.”

Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “I am very pleased that North Yorkshire Police are supporting this campaign which I know is very important to parents with young children at school.

“It is really important that the roads around schools are as safe as possible and hopefully this campaign will prompt people to be more considerate and bear the safety of children in mind.”

The council has also launched the Parents’ Parking Pledge which encourages parents and carers across York to pledge their support to parking safely and considerately when taking their children to and from school.

Councillor Janet Looker, cabinet member for children’s service, said: “In York around 30 per cent of primary and 10 per cent of secondary school children are now driven to school, the majority of these journeys are less than one mile.

“Working with schools and parents we hope to further highlight that there are other options available than driving to school, but if parents choose this option then we want to encourage them to do this safely and join this scheme to make children feel safer on their way to and from school.”