Lincolnshire councillors back tighter parking rules outside two Bourne primary schools

Fresh parking restrictions could be introduced outside two primary schools in Bourne after Lincolnshire councillors backed proposals aimed at improving safety for children, parents and other road users. The plans were discussed by Lincolnshire County Council's planning and regulation committee, which heard concerns about parking problems near Bourne Westfield Primary Academy and Bourne Elsea Park Primary Academy. At Bourne Westfield Primary Academy, councillors were told that existing safety zone markings had been ignored. Officials said parked vehicles were causing visibility problems for pedestrians trying to cross the road and were also affecting the flow of traffic nearby.

To address that, loading and waiting restrictions have been recommended along Westbourne Park, from its junction with West Street to just beyond the semi-circle in front of the school. Under the proposal, those limits would apply from 08:00 to 09:30 and from 14:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday. Councillors also supported wider 24-hour waiting restrictions on 10 junctions in the surrounding area, including Westbourne Park, Pinewood Close, Kingsley Avenue, Leofric Avenue, Forest Avenue and Godiva Crescent. Speaking in support of the move, councillor Martin Hill said the area was "chaos" at school times.

A separate set of concerns was raised near Bourne Elsea Park Primary Academy, where the committee heard that some motorists had been parking on junctions and at a bend. Councillors recommended a 24-hour parking restriction on Sandown Drive, close to the school. Officials had originally proposed a part-time restriction on the route into the school, operating from 08:00 to 09:30 and from 14:00 to 16:30. But members also backed the broader all-day measure for the nearby stretch highlighted during the discussion.

Councillor Kenneth Redfern, whose ward includes the area, said he had visited the site and described it as narrow and, at times, very busy. He said the measures put forward were more than adequate for the situation. For families across Lincolnshire, the debate will feel familiar. Parking pressures around school gates are a recurring issue in towns and villages alike, especially at the start and end of the school day when roads can quickly become congested.

Concerns often centre on visibility, access for residents and the safety of children walking, cycling or crossing nearby roads. The Bourne proposals do not yet mark the final step. The executive councillor for highways and transport will make the final decision at a later date. If approved, the restrictions would represent a targeted attempt to bring more order to two busy school approaches in south Lincolnshire, with councillors signalling that road safety around school entrances remains a priority for the county.

This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.bbc.com.