Business of the House

Mark Pawsey Excerpts

Thursday 4th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

I cannot promise an urgent statement, but the hon. Lady has raised the case powerfully, so I will refer what she has said to the Ministers responsible so that they can consider it and consider how to keep her and the House informed about the situation.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

We heard in Transport questions of the concern about congestion around school gates across the country. I recently joined pupils at Brownsover community school in Rugby outside in the rain at going-home time to look at the careless parking outside the school by parents collecting their children. May we have a debate to consider measures to improve road safety around school gates and to consider what the barriers are to parents allowing their children to walk or cycle to and from school?

[Mr Hague]

Road safety around schools is a very important issue. My hon. Friend is right to raise it. Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide appropriate traffic management schemes, and they can put in place “school keep clear” markings, which are legally enforceable, to prohibit parking on a designated length of highway, including near a school, to improve road safety. I know that my hon. Friend will want to keep pursuing the issue with Transport Ministers, and they will be able to respond to him.