With the start of a new school year, Calne Police are urging parents and carers to park responsibly when dropping off and collecting children, especially around Holy Trinity School, where new parking restrictions have been introduced on the A4 in Wessington Avenue.
The changes aim to ease congestion, improve visibility, and ensure the safety of pedestrians — particularly children — as well as cyclists and drivers. Police are asking all parents to follow the new rules carefully, stressing that keeping roads clear at peak times is essential for everyone’s safety.
Officers are also reminding residents that the road outside their home is part of the public highway. While anyone is legally allowed to park there, this must be done safely, legally, and with consideration for others. Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, local councils are required to reduce congestion and disruption, and may introduce parking restrictions where problems arise.
Importantly, the police are clarifying that single and double yellow lines, as well as school “Keep Clear” markings, must never be parked on. These restrictions are enforced by Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) from Wiltshire Council — not the police. However, bus stop zones can be enforced by Wiltshire Police and will be monitored accordingly.
Residents concerned about persistent parking violations near schools are encouraged to report them to either their local PCSO or a CEO. If a vehicle is blocking a driveway entirely, this may be considered an obstruction - but only if access is completely blocked and the obstruction is immediate. In such cases, a police officer can intervene, but residents may be required to provide a statement and could be asked to attend court if the matter is disputed.
To help with the issue, local PCSOs will be patrolling schools during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times whenever possible. They will be engaging with parents, monitoring traffic, and working with school staff to include parking reminders in newsletters. However, due to limited resources, police say it won’t be possible for PCSOs to be present every day.
Despite the challenges, Calne Police remain optimistic, highlighting that everyone shares the same goal: keeping children safe. They also note that school-time congestion is generally short-lived and limited to term-time periods. In some cases, parked cars may even help to naturally slow traffic, acting as a form of traffic calming.
Anyone who needs to report an actual obstruction of a driveway should call Wiltshire Police on 101. Illegal parking on yellow lines or school markings should be reported to Civil Enforcement Officers at Wiltshire Council.
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