If your child is not eligible for home to school transport and lives too far away to walk or cycle, you may want to take them to school by car.  As you can’t park or wait outside the school gates, dropping off and picking up can often be difficult and stressful.

The following options help save time in rush hour traffic and ease the environmental implications of your journey:

• Travelling to school by public transport;
• Spare seat scheme - find out information on purchasing a seat in a vehicle serving your child's school
• Essex Travel Information helps to plan routes and avoid congestion;
• Park and stride - many local businesses such as pubs and supermarkets will agree to allow parents to park for short periods – but always check first.
  
  

Please bear in mind the following tips when driving your child to school.

• Children (and all other passengers) must wear properly adjusted seat belts or be seated in appropriate child safety seats;
• Children should get in and out of vehicles safely on the pavement side;
• To reduce traffic congestion and increase visibility around schools, cars should be parked well away from school entrances and yellow zig zag areas;
• Vehicles dropping off children should not stop or park on school ‘keep clear’ markings, bus stops or cycle lanes. It is dangerous to drop off passengers at zebra crossings or school crossing patrol sites, in school driveways and entrances;
• Drivers must stop when signalled to do so by a school crossing patrol person (lollipop man/lady);
• Drivers should not leave their engine running when waiting to collect children. Idle engines produce 80% more pollution than a vehicle in motion.
  
  

If you notice any damage to the roads (such as potholes) or to bus shelters, or come across a faulty street light on your journey then please report it to us.