Parents and carers are being reminded by Buckinghamshire Council to be considerate when dropping off their children by car.

The council is relaunching its #Beconsiderate campaign to reiterate the importance of careful parking to ensure the safety of pedestrians and other road users.

Every day, numerous children are driven to and from school.

However, with the rush to get to school on time, parents often get tempted to park on the kerb, partially on a driveway, on zigzag lines or even at bus stops.

Although this can seem harmless, it often blocks pavements and footpaths, forcing pedestrians including children, people with limited mobility, and the elderly to step onto the road to bypass the vehicle, a situation which can be extremely dangerous.

Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Steven Broadbent said: "We know that the majority of drivers do consider pedestrians and other road users when they park, but we want to say to all motorists - Have you thought about the impact to others when you pull up onto the kerb?

"You could be forcing a wheelchair user, a parent with a buggy or anyone walking on the pavement to have to step into the road because you are blocking their pathway.

"We know most people don’t deliberately try to cause issues, but inconsiderate parking can be dangerous for everyone, so we are asking people to think carefully about where they stop and to try and avoid blocking access for all other road users and pedestrians."

Mr Broadbent added: "It is also worth being aware, anyone caught infringing parking restrictions in this way risks receiving a fixed penalty notice from our civil enforcement officers, so could also find themselves financially out of pocket."

The council's School’s Sustainable Transport Team collaborates with schools to encourage other means of transportation like walking, cycling, or wheeling to and from school.

These not only budget-friendly by saving on fuel costs, stress-free by eliminating parking troubles, but also keep children active and reduce environmental impact.

Parents who need to drive are advised to park farther away from the school and cover the rest of the distance by walking, which can help ease the congestion typically seen outside the school.

Additional information on School Travel Plans and Parking can be sourced from the council website.

By practicing mindful parking, parents can contribute significantly to making school zones safer for all road users.