Tipton schoolchildren are urging drivers to park safely and not block their school entrance.

St Paul’s Church of England Academy is working with Sandwell Council’s Highways team to tackle parking problems at the school in Robert Road. The council has helped the school to improve signage and create parking bays due to problems with people using the school grounds as a car park.
 
Children have also designed a banner to promote safe parking and to ask drivers to take more care outside the school.
 
The school is asking the community to be aware that the access road leading to St. Pauls is part of the school and is not highway and that only school traffic should be going onto the site. Principal Anna McGuire said:

“We are all thrilled with our new road safety banner, which promotes safe and considerate parking at St. Paul’s Church of England Academy in Tipton.
 
“Parking issues have been exacerbated in the last few months by Tipton train station commuters using car parking spaces designated for our parents and children.
 
“Sandwell Council have been supportive in helping us to improve this situation, by providing new signage and carriage way markings which will hopefully reduce the parking issues that we currently have.”
 
Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for sustainable transport Councillor Jackie Taylor added:

“Keeping children safe at our schools is a top priority. The school was experiencing serious congestion on their driveway which was putting children at risk on their way to and from school.
 
“I hope the banner and also the parking bays will remind people that the spaces are for parents and carers only and that visitors to the school need to park and drive safely on the school site.”