STUDENTS and teachers have taken steps to curb parking problems around their village primary school.

Staff and governors at Long Melford Primary in Cordell Road recently recorded an increase in the number of vehicles stopping on double-yellow lines in front of the school at peak times.

According to parent governor Alan Anstead and local police officers, the extra traffic and cars parked on the narrow street outside the school have been posing a significant danger to pupils as they arrive and leave.

The school has decided to take matters into its own hands and has sent a letter from the headteacher to all parents. In addition, students have been taking part in a number of road safety activities in school, including designing posters which have been laminated and displayed by the roadside in front of the building.

Headteacher Sandra Hoskin, said: “The lay-by and the roads adjacent to the school are, in the eyes of the law, no parking areas. We asked parents to park away from the school, and to walk their children to and from school where possible.

“We have an arrangement with the British Legion to use their car park at school times. There is also a ‘walking bus’ route in operation which can also be used by children who are not directly on the route.”

Since the letters were sent and the posters went up, there has been a considerable drop in the number of parents driving to school according to Mrs Hoskin, who added: “We have junior road safety officers who have encouraged fellow pupils to design the posters and we have about 25 of them on the fence outside the school. They have certainly had a big impact with lots of people stopping to look at them.”

Parent governor Mr Anstead, said: “It is great to see parents and carers responding to the plea to park and drop off their children with consideration for others. This has resulted in a much safer environment for the children.”

Suffolk police are taking illegal parking and stopping near schools very seriously. A local spokesman for the force said: “Long Melford Primary School has received complaints regarding inconsiderate parking on school runs.

“Babergh West Safer Neighbourhood Team requests that drivers show greater consideration for pedestrians, residents and other road users when dropping their children off. Parking across private driveways, dropped kerbs, double yellow lines and on pavements can constitute an obstruction and enforcement action using fixed penalty tickets is an option available to officers.”