CCTV crackdown catches out 1,000 parents breaking parking rules near schools in Lincoln, Crowland, Boston, Sleaford and Gainsborough

About 1,000 people have been caught parking illegally outside Lincolnshire schools in a matter of months courtesy of new CCTV cameras.

The 10 new cameras were installed in May for schools with the worst problems – including those in Lincoln, Sleaford, Boston and Crowland – along with a mobile CCTV van.

Roughly triple the amount of fines have been issued to people stopping on zig zag markings than when they were solely patrolled by traffic wardens.

Lincolnshire county councillors welcomed the success in catching rule-breakers and making schools safer at a meeting of the Highways and Transport committee on Monday (October 20).

Reform councillor Thomas Sneath, of the Holbeach division, said: “The cameras are a fantastic idea. Not parking outside schools should become the norm – not chancing it and hope you get away with it.”

Conservative councillor Charlotte Vernon said: “1,000 tickets is clearly an awful lot, and CCTV is proving more cost-effective than having people patrol on foot.

“The main thing is the improved safety – the cameras are there to protect children going to and from school, not as an income revenue stream.”

Parking services manager Matt Jones said the council had received positive feedback from the schools involved.

Before the new scheme — between February 20 and October 8 last year — ten schools had a total of 312 parking fines issued. These schools are:

The William Alvey C of E School – Sleaford (61)

Boston West Academy – Boston (46)

Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School – Lincoln (42)

St Thomas’ Ce Primary School – Boston (33)

St Giles Academy – Lincoln (29)

Tower Road Academy – Boston (26)

Southview Primary School – Crowland (20)

The Priory Witham Academy – Lincoln (20)

The Queen Elizabeth – Gainsborough (18)

Manor Leas Primary School – Lincoln (17)

Under the new system, 1,000 tickets have been handed out since May.

Coun Michael Cheyne, the Reform executive for transport and highways, told the Local Democracy Service that he wanted to see fewer pupils arriving to school by car.

“I think there’s something wrong that people need to [drive] their children to school,” he said.

“Most of these schools are in towns, so there’s not a long rural journey.

“Why on earth can’t children walk to school as I used to do, and most of my generation?

“There seems to be a cosseted need which cumulatively brings the problem, and is endemic around the country.

“Whatever the reason, it will require more change than we can bring through the council.”