Car Park To Be Used As Safe Drop-Off Zone For Pupils

Parents dropping children off at St Joseph’s Catholic Academy in Market Harborough are to be allowed to use a near-by car park to boost safety and cut congestion.

They will be issued permits allowing them to park for free in the Commons Car Park for a short time before 9am each morning.

Harborough District Council has agreed to the move after a campaign was mounted, backed by Harborough MP Neil O’Brien, over concerns about parking problems and resulting congestion outside the primary school on Coventry Road, which has no dedicated drop-off point, as well as surrounding roads.

Headteacher Bernadette Dabbs told HFM she is delighted:

Neil O’Brien MP with headteacher Bernadette Dabbs

Pupils will get involved in a ‘parking safely’ project after the half-term break, which will include a competition for the children to design the parking permit.

Harborough MP Neil O’Brien told HFM he is delighted:

Cllr Darren Woodiwiss, Harborough District Council’s Cabinet lead for Environmental and Climate Change, said: “We are pleased that on this occasion a practical solution has been found to address the issues that the school has said it experiences during morning drop-offs.

“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.”

St Joseph’s School