Sting on parent drivers

By MATHEW DEARNALEY

It's zero-tolerance time for Auckland parents as parking wardens shed their uniforms and go undercover to combat traffic mayhem at school gates.

The Auckland City Council is extending indefinitely a campaign by wardens in mufti-clothing after nabbing about 130 motorists for parking violations outside 10 problem-area schools last term.

This follows 10 deaths of school-age pedestrians in the city in the five years to 2000, as more and more parents have been chauffeuring their children to school with the best intentions of shielding them from accidents and strangers.

The trouble is, their antics in double-parking and choking up school exits often make the passage home more hazardous for other children.

Rather than confronting offenders and slapping tickets on windscreens, the council wardens are trying to blend in with the crowds while surreptitiously recording number-plates.

The council believes this is more effective than if they turn up in uniform and put parents on their best behaviour - until they leave the scene.

Most recalcitrants do not know they have been nicked until they receive a fine in the mail, although all schools covered by the campaign have put up their hands for the enforcement attention, and sent warning newsletters to students' homes.

The programme has been extended this term to an 11th school, Halsey Drive Primary in Lynfield, and the council intends moving to others once offending is under better control at the pioneering group.

Yesterday was the turn of Mt Roskill Grammar School and its primary school neighbour, perched on an island of Education Ministry land in a sea of traffic congestion.

On the other side of the island is Mt Roskill Intermediate, boosting the population of youngsters when the bells ring to around 3500.

A warden in mufti managed to protect his cover from most passersby, including the Herald, while writing three $60 tickets - two for double-parking and one for stopping on a broken yellow-line.

There were typically unruly scenes as vehicles straddled footpaths and high-spirited youngsters hopped into cars banked up at the roundabout at the intersection of Frost and Carr Rds.

Council parking services section manager Dennis Wells said the warden, who wanted to remain anonymous, reported an "average sort of day" of school gate chaos.

Mt Roskill Primary teacher and crossing-patrol supervisor Raewyn Webber said she was all too used to abuse from people who had no scruples about endangering children's safety.

"We get so much abuse. They ask: 'Are you security?' then tell us to clear off."

Grammar principal Ken Rapson said it was only by luck there had been no serious accidents around the three schools since a student received permanent injuries after being knocked off a bicycle several years ago.

The council's school road safety coordinator, Mariken Flapper, said school-aged children were victims in 37 per cent of 877 accidents involving pedestrians in Auckland City between 1996 and 2000.

Ten children were killed, and 55 seriously injured, with after-school accidents outnumbering those occurring before school by more than two to one.

Ms Flapper said the council and schools had given parents fair warning, with a two-week period of education by parking wardens before "zero-tolerance" enforcement began.

Schools were being visited once a week, usually on a different day each time, but the frequency would be reduced once a "culture of compliance" emerged.

One creative solution for harassed parents seeking safe passage for their young is a "walking school bus" in which lines of children are escorted home on foot.

About 15 Auckland schools are already running such schemes, with signposted "bus stops".

Funding agency Infrastructure Auckland is offering $100,000 to get another 60 or so up and running for an estimated annual saving of 50,000 peak-time car trips.

Other schools involved in the mufti blitz are:

Corran School (Remuera), Freeman's Bay Primary, New Windsor Primary, Dominion Rd Primary, Auckland Grammar, Auckland Girls' Grammar, and Epsom Girls' Grammar.

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