PARENT power has led to a new parking scheme being brought in to improve road safety after a child was knocked down outside a city school.

Parents of pupils at Stanley Road Primary School will be able to park at Tallow Hill Car Park for free while on the school run.

A campaign for better road safety around the school has been going on since a six-year-old boy was hit by a car in November.

Worcester News: Parents will be allowed to park at Tallow Hill car park at pick up and drop off timesParents will be allowed to park at Tallow Hill car park at pick up and drop off times (Image: Google Maps)

This has included calls for a zebra crossing, which county highways chief Mike Rouse said officers are looking into.

City councillor Jabba Riaz said this can be a “long, drawn out process” and so it was also important to look for “quick wins” to improve the situation immediately.

He thanked Worcester City Council for allowing the use of its car park and said he hoped to get a ‘walking bus’ up and running, which would see parents and children meeting at the car park and walking to school together.

Headteacher Lorraine Adams said: “We are extremely pleased and grateful that councillor Riaz has been able to get approval from the council for Stanley Road's parents to park at Tallow Hill Car Park.

“They will be able to park there between 8am and 9am, and 3pm and 4pm during the week.

Worcester News: Lucy Kurylak and Lucy Green are two of the many parents fearing their children's safetyLucy Kurylak and Lucy Green are two of the many parents fearing their children's safety (Image: NQ)

“Many of our parents drop their children off on their way to work and usually struggle to find somewhere close but safe to park.

“This will definitely reduce the number of cars parked on Stanley Road whilst our parents and children are coming backwards and forwards to school and therefore their journeys to school will be safer.”

A city council spokesman said: “We have agreed to allow parents of pupils at Stanley Road School to use Tallow Hill car park as a drop off/pick up point as a temporary measure to support the school with the parking challenges it faces.

“This offer does not constitute free parking, it is solely for parents to drop off and pick up their children from school, between the hours of 8am and 9am, and 3pm and 4pm. 

“This situation will be kept under review and we will be closely monitoring the car park to ensure this interim arrangement does not inconvenience our paying customers. Any misuse may result in removal of the offer.”