School in Harborough welcomes new solution to ease school-run congestion

MP Neil O'Brien and headteacher Bernadette Dabbs.

A school in Harborough has welcomed a new solution to aid difficult school drop-offs.

Harborough District Council has agreed to the use of an authority-owned car park to make it easier for parents and carers to drop their children off at St Joseph’s Catholic Academy in the morning.

Headteacher Bernadette Dabbs approached MP Neil O’Brien with the issue of the difficulties parking in Coventry Road during the morning school run.

The MP took up the request with the council which has since agreed to the use of Commons car park for school drop offs in the morning.

The MP explained: “On my recent visit to St Joseph’s, Mrs Dabbs told me about the difficulties they were experiencing during morning drop-offs. The school has no place to drop off children safely, which often leads to dangerous parking and children getting out of cars on the busy Coventry Road. However, there is a council-owned car park nearby, which is virtually empty at that time of the morning.“I wrote to the council and as a result, I am delighted to say they will allow the Commons car park to be used as a safe drop-off zone for the children. The school will issue parents with permits which will be valid between 8.20am and 8.50am.”

The permit will designed by the children who will submit designs in a competition, and a new design will be selected annually.Mr O’Brien added: “This is wonderful news as it will allow children to be dropped off safely, away from the busy Coventry Road. It’s great that the children are getting involved by designing the new permits. I am delighted that everyone has responded so well to this request. I am looking forward to seeing this new scheme up and running.”

The council’s environmental lead, Cllr Darren Woodiwiss, said he was pleased with the ‘practical solution’.

He added: “We have spoken to the headteacher and have suggested that the children are involved in designing parking permits for parents to use the Commons car park. We will work with the school to issue permits as soon as it is ready.”