Following concerns raised by local residents, Lib Dem councillors in Muswell Hill and Fortis Green wards have secured police patrols around Coldfall Primary School, Muswell Hill, to deal with parking problems and enforcement in the immediate area. Muswell Hill councillor Lynne Featherstone hopes that extra patrols will improve the situation when children return to school in September.

The Lib Dems say that the traffic problems around Coldfall School are particularly acute, with some vehicles regularly parked on the yellow zigzags outside the school and executing dangerous manoeuvres such as reversing onto the pavement. In one recent incident a front wall was knocked down, but fortunately no children were injured.

The Council has failed to send a parking enforcement officer to the school to ensure child safety, despite repeated requests from local parents. Cllr Featherstone has now secured the co-operation of the police in patrolling the school entrance when the new term starts in September.

“These extra patrols are important,” says Cllr Lynne Featherstone. “There needs to be more orderly parking near the school site, as kids’ safety is paramount. I am delighted that the local police are happy to help.”

Local resident Caron Brooks, who was one of the first parents to raise the issue with Cllr Featherstone and the local Lib Dem team comments:

“Illegal parking and bad driving around the school entrance has been a major worry for parents for some time. The school has tried countless initiatives to make the entrance safe, but now we need enforcement to stop this problem. I am relieved that we will now get some action and am looking forward to being able to get my children to school safely at last.”

Lib Dem councillor Matt Davies (Fortis Green) adds:

“I know the school takes this issue very seriously and has been working hard on a Safer Routes to School scheme. But at the end of the day we do need the back-up of enforcement, and I am delighted that our local police agree and know they will put maximum effort into this problem.”