Stop unauthorised vehicles using Baberton Mains Wynd at school drop off and collection

There has been a growing issue at Juniper Green Primary School, Edinburgh, for some time, due to several parents ignoring council street restrictions on Baberton Mains Wynd, which were put in place to help children get to and from school safer. Today this issue could have resulted in tragedy.

Many parents are blatantly ignoring the offcicial restrictions, parking on lines, doing some crazy manoeuvres to turn their vehicles, putting our children in danger. Particularly for the older children who walk to school on their own. They have also been known to park over driveways of BMW and BMB residents.

Many parents are also using the school staff car park to drop off and pick up, despite signage asking them not to, and constant reminders from the JGPS Head Teacher, Anthea Grierson.

There have been sporadic visits from Edinburgh Council traffic wardens and Police Scotland but sadly they do not appear at restricted times or stay long enough to impact.  The next school day, the parents return to as close to the school as they can, so the visits and warnings have zero impact.

Current COVID19 advice and guidance asks us to socially distance. Most parents let the children use the pavements and parents only attempting to use the road when children are dropped or going to collect. This is impossible with so many vehicles travelling up and down the Wynd and attempting to turn.

Today, Wednesday 18 November 2020, a parent drove into the school car park to drop off his child. His vehicle rolled down the hill and crashed into the gas mains applicance, at the school entrance,seemingly after not applying his handbrake.

It is a miracle that a parent was not injured, as the steps within the school car park have been assigned for Baberton parents to leave the school after drop off and to use going for collection as part of COVID-19 rules.

If this had happened on Baberton Mains Wynd, the car most definitely would have hit our children.

it is also important to note that this is a residential area where yellow lines and enforcements are adhered to by residents but ignored from parents 

The school, Police, Council and parents have addressed this with offenders but nothing changes.

The situation now calls for enforcement. Before one of our children is seriously hurt.

We call for

Firm plans for Edinburgh Council to close off BMW and have an access only for residents during school hours

Barrier at the school gate similar to one half way up the second hill within the car park 

Parents to be charged for parking illegally
CCTV cameras installed