Proposals to introduce a traffic ban to tackle "dangerous" driving practices at Donibristle Primary School won’t be taken any further.
Local councillors David Barratt and Sarah Neal had a meeting with other ward six members and transport officers to discuss a school exclusion zone on Morlich Road in Dalgety Bay.
This would see a restriction on non-residential traffic around drop off and pick up times to improve road safety for pupils and parents and encourage active travel - walking, cycling and scooting to school.
Cllr Barratt posted on Facebook: “This had been proposed to address the dangerous practice of inconsiderate parents and carers driving up Morlich Road to the gates of the school and then attempting three-point turns to get back out.
“The dangerous practice has persisted despite emails from the school to parents over many years.
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“It’s pretty clear from trials undertaken at other schools in Fife that enforcing an exclusion zone is not practical and ignored by parents as soon as the council or police turn their back, so a formal exclusion zone isn’t going to be taken any further.
“What was agreed is to explore double yellows at the junction with Morlich Road and Morlich Crescent and to change the structure of the access into the school.
"By widening the pavements, narrowing the access and installing bollards, we’re hoping it will make drop off at the gates less appealing and change the habits of the inconsiderate minority.
“Officers will now draw up a design and discuss with the school and we can hopefully get this in place by the beginning of the new summer term next year.”
As previously reported in the Press, exclusion zone trials took place around primary schools in Cardenden, Glenrothes, and Kirkcaldy.
Cllr Dave Dempsey previously said on the issue: “This has been bubbling away for quite a while. Donibristle is up at the end of a cul-de-sac and there’s people that drive their car up to drop their kids off and then do a three-point turn at the gate.
“This is much to the alarm to the people who live there who don’t want a kid to be knocked down.
“The school’s not happy about it and neither are residents, so we asked a while back about the possibility of making that road accessible to permit holders only for the half hour at the start and end of the school day.
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“We were asked at the time by council officers to wait for the results of the trials in other parts of Fife.”
The trial in Cardenden has “not been successful” and the Central Fife Times reported that Fife Council’s £18,000 pilot scheme at Denend Primary School was in response to calls from worried parents.
However, police did not enforce the restrictions and staff were verbally abused by drivers, with the result that compliance dropped. The trial at that school will not be extended.
Service manager Sara Wilson said the council is working with the school and local elected members to help with the issue of illegal parking at the school.
She said: "A proposal for new double yellow lines at Morlich Road and Morlich Crescent will be discussed at a meeting of the area committee soon."
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