Caught on camera

A motorist stops right in front of the CCTV safety car at a dropped kerb in a keep clear zone outside Failsworth School

Driver flouts law only yards from CCTV safety car
BREAKING the rules doesn’t get much more blatant than this (picture).

A motorist is blocking a dropped kerb, is on the keep-clear zig-zag lines and is right in front of a CCTV camera on a school safety car!

But it was just one case captured by a Chonicle photographer outside Failsworth School in a 30-minute period at the start of the school day. At least a dozen motorists were caught on camera.

Parents who flout parking rules at the school gates are now paying the price for their inconsiderate parking.

The School Safety Car — a joint initiative between Oldham Council and NSL Services — was launched last month to catch motorists who break the law and put children’s lives in danger.

The car, which visits Oldham schools in rotation, is equipped with cameras that record motorists dropping off and picking up children.

The footage is analysed to decide which motorists will receive a £70 fixed penalty notice..

The scheme began with a two-week trial during which drivers were given warning letters.

But in the first week following the trial, 70 fines were handed out.

The list of schools the car visits is posted on the council’s website (www.oldham.gov.uk) at the start of every week.

The NSL Services team leader said: “We see people parking on the zig-zag lines outside the school, in bus stops, on double yellow lines on bends and at dropped curbs where they are blocking the pavement for disabled and blind people.

“They think it is okay because they are only stopping for a moment — but if everybody does that, it leads to danger; cars going past don’t slow down.

“There is often a safe place to park a few yards away, but some people want to get as close as is physically possible.”

The idea to boost safety measures came from Casey Devine, a pupil at Hey with Zion Primary in Lees, who wrote a letter to the council and the Chronicle outlining her concerns.


OLDHAM Council’s new School Safety Vehicle is an Oscar winner.
The council ran a competition in primary schools to officially name the car and more than 780 youngsters from 17 schools took part.

The overall winner was Mikey Faulkner, a Year 1 pupil from St Mary’s Primary School, High Crompton, who named the car Oscar — which stands for Oldham’s Safety Car. The name will now be printed on the rear of the vehicle.

Mikey won a replica model of the car and vouchers.

Runner-up was Ellie Derbyshire, a Year 5 pupil at St Hugh’s School, Holts Village with her suggesation of Kes — Keeping Everyone Safe.