What is Parksmart?
Parksmart is one of our Road Safety and Active Travel Initiatives which aims to reduce congestion and improve safety at the school gate.
School gate parking is a major issue in schools around Highland that affects the safety and well-being of both Adult and Child pedestrians and cyclists alike by blocking sight lines and increased pollution.
Parksmart is a direct method used in tackling school gate congestion and has proved very effective if implemented properly!
Tips
Frequency & Timescale
1. Parksmart is a flexible initiative that can be run on a cyclical basis i.e can be re-introduced if/when congestion problems return.
2. Timescale - Parksmart is most effective when used in ‘short bursts’ i.e 1-2 weeks at a time. If the banner is left up for any longer, it tends to lose it’s its effect.
Promotion
1. Give parents warning of when the initiative is likely to be run
2. Design posters and leaflets to coincide with the banner being displayed.
3. Visibility – Display your banner in a prominent place that targets the majority of ‘School Gate Parkers’
4. Enforce
- Ensure that anyone not adhering to the banner is reminded of the initiative and why it is happening. JRSOs or Eco Committee members may be useful here.
- You could also try contacting your local police officer for some presence/support during the initiative.
Resources
Parksmart Banners
Banners with the following choice of wording are available from The Highland Council Road Safety Team.
- SHOW YOU CARE PARK ELSEWHERE
- PARKING ON ZIG ZAGS IS DANGEROUS AND SELFISH
- PARKING NEAR THE SCHOOL ENTRANCE IS SELFISH AND DANGEROUS
Promotional Materials
What better way to get the Parksmart message across to parents than children themselves!...
We would encourage schools to design their own Parksmart Posters and Leaflets with their own Parksmart message that is personal to them…
In return The Road Safety Team would be delighted to fund the printing costs via Small Grants Funding (SGF) -The SGF Application Form can be downloaded from this page.
If you would like to implement Parksmart at your school, you can contact a member of the Road Safety Team by:-
E-mail:- road.safety@highland.gov.uk
Phone:- 01463 702690