Double yellow lines to deter drivers parking at junction near Kirkcaldy primary

The move comes as councillors reviewed a trial project which excludes vehicles from St Marie’s Primary School at key times in the day. It is one of three schools involved in the project to help pupils get to ans forms school safely.

The 18-month experiment sees flashing lights activated to alert parents to the ‘no parking’ rules between 8.30am and 9.30am, and again between 2.30pm and 3.30pm. each school day. Launched last November, it is also being trialled at Pitcoudie Primary School in Glenrothes, and Denend Primary in Cardenden, and if successful could be rolled out to other schools.

A report to Kirkcaldy area committee said half of participants in a survey felt the street is safer outside the school gates, but 35% expressed concerns over compliance with some dis-satisfaction at the level of enforcement police are able to provide.

The school’s management team also spoke with a group of children from the upper school who said before the trial they felt walking up MacIndoe Crescent was quite unsafe with regards to cars driving up the road, reversing and parking on pavements. They said things were much safer now, but noted more cars were starting to drive up the road again.

Officer Keith Johnson told the committee: “In the first few weeks of operation, the school provided staff support at the entry into the school exclusion zone to inform drivers of the restriction and encourage compliance. While effective, this is not a resource that can be maintained, and occasionally verbal abuse, disregard by some drivers, and other priorities has led to a reduction in school staff presence.”

Councillor Rod Kavanagh (Kircaldy East, SNP) said: “We need a police presence quite regularly to enforce the scheme, but I fully support the idea of yellow lines.”In reply, Nicola Black, area commander with Fife Police, said: “Officers do enforce and attend regularly in the area. We are paying attention to St Maries’ and the exclusion order.”