Cameras to catch parents parking illegally while dropping off their kids at school could be installed across Bristol under city council plans. Councillors will meet on Thursday, December 5, to decide whether to introduce a trial of CCTV that can automatically read drivers’ number plates.
A report to the transport and connectivity policy committee said enforcement was difficult for many reasons, including the fact traffic wardens could not be at all 160 schools in the city and that drop-off and pick-up times were very short.
It said: “Increasing the number of civil enforcement officers is not a cost-effective solution, so officers have been exploring other technical opportunities. Camera enforcement is heavily restricted by legislation, but parking on ‘school keep clear’ markings, providing they are supported by a traffic regulation order, is one of the few [interventions] which can be enforced using camera technology.
“We already have a camera car that is used to patrol schools but there is potential to deploy fixed cameras on a rotational basis to target particularly problematic areas.”
The report said Derby City Council had been ‘very innovative’ in tackling the problem.
It said: “Officers would like to explore these options in more detail by talking to Derby City Council to better understand their experience and then develop an appropriate procurement approach in conjunction with procurement colleagues.
“Set-up funding will need to be identified, but using the indicative figures that Derby have published, it could reasonably be expected that revenue from any [parking fines] that are issued will cover ongoing operational costs and pay back any set up costs over five years.”
The report said the cost of the scheme was based on an initial trial of four cameras.