Patrols to tackle road safety on school run

The Welwyn Hatfield Neighbourhood Policing Team are carrying out patrols to tackle road safety on the school run in Woods Avenue, Hatfield.

PCSOs Shannon Payne and Mark Randall began their patrols on Friday (8 November).

The pair spoke to 16 drivers regarding their parking.

Two warning tickets were issued to drivers whose vehicles were either parked on double yellow lines or on the zig zag lines by the zebra crossing outside of the schools.

PCSO Payne said: “We are focusing on improving road safety in Woods Avenue following concerns raised by parents.

“In addition to the patrols, we have put new signage in the area reminding drivers that we are carrying out speed checks. There should be no excuse for speeding or parking irresponsibly.

“We know the school run can be stressful, especially if you are rushing off to work but we all have a duty to take care on the roads. The speed limit and the double yellow and zig zag lines are there for good reason; to keep children safe.

“To help make the school drop-off and pick-ups run more smoothly, we recommend leaving earlier or picking up your child(ren) later. It is also wise to research the parking options in your school’s area and find where you can and cannot park. Choosing a meeting point on a less busy street nearby without parking restrictions will also help to reduce congestion.

“We hope these patrols will reduce the issues that have been reported and ensure no children get hurt by irresponsible drivers.”

Join our community messaging platform Herts Connected where you will receive free local police messages. You can also choose to receive messages from Neighbourhood Watch, Action Fraud and the Police and Crime Commissioner if that’s what you select when you sign up. 

You can use our community voice platform ‘echo’ to let us know what you think we should be prioritising in your area. Your feedback will help towards shaping our local policing priorities, initiatives and campaigns. Visit Echo and tell us your thoughts.