Merton Cracks Down on Zig-Zag Offenders

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Motorists beware - don't stop outside school on the zig-zags

Following safety concerns from parents and residents about the difficulty caused by cars stopping on zig-zags outside schools, council enforcement officers will be taking to the streets in a specially adapted vehicle with inbuilt CCTV cameras. 

The action is set to start September 20 from when the mobile camera will capture the registration numbers of any vehicles illegally stopping on the yellow zig-zags. The enforcement officers will then issue the offenders with a £100 fixed penalty notice, which if paid within 14 days, reduces to £50.

The council has written to all the schools in the borough, asking head teachers to inform parents about the enforcement action it will be taking over the coming months and how it will make the roads safer for children and the general public to cross.

In conjunction with the CCTV enforcement programme, the council will be sending to all Merton schools a Stay off our zig-zags banner. Designed by three of the borough’s primary school pupils, the weather proof banners can be hung outside schools as one way of asking motorists not to park on zig-zags. 

In addition to enforcing parking restrictions outside schools, the council will be using the mobile CCTV unit to enforce parking restrictions across the borough.

Merton Council deputy leader Councillor Mark Betteridge said: "We're taking this action to help protect our local children. Zig-zag markings are placed outside of our schools for a reason - to make it a safe environment for the children.  It's clearly marked where people should and shouldn’t park, and the zig-zags are definitely out of bounds. 

"In some places the number of cars illegally parked is compromising the road safety of our children, blocking their view of oncoming traffic and making crossing the road unnecessarily hazardous.  We also hope that having the children involved in the campaign against stopping on zig-zags will help discourage people from illegally stopping."

September 21, 2010