By Brian Allison, local government reporter

DRIVERS IN Dundee who park irresponsibly at school entrances and endanger the safety of pupils risk finding the police at their door.

There have been long-standing issues at schools across the city of parents parking on zig-zag lines designed to keep school entrances clear or in other inconsiderate ways which cause traffic congestion and danger to youngsters.

The scale of the problem has grown to the stage where the city council has announced the setting up of a special group of officials from the legal, planning and transport and education departments to look at ways of responding to the increasing number of complaints that have been coming in.

Police have urged responsible drivers who see others regularly jeopardising pupil safety to pass on the car registration numbers.

Community officer PC Bob Jeffrey said that was already happening and persistent offenders could get a knock on the door from police.

He added that he was aware of problems at many schools across Dundee and in some cases parents who lived close to the schools insisted on driving them there and then parking as near as possible to the entrance, regardless of the congestion and danger they might be causing.

“It is stupid and downright inconsiderate,” he said.

“This is endangering their own children as well as the other pupils at the school and causing access problems for the parents of children with disabilities, who have a legitimate reason for trying to get right up to the school.”

As described by parents of children at Craigiebarns Primary in The Courier yesterday, PC Jeffrey acknowledged that when police were visible at a school the problem did not occur.

City council administration leader Kevin Keenan said there was already a rolling programme of enforcement action at schools and head teachers were constantly urging parents to park responsibly.

“But the message does not seem to be getting through to many drivers who put their own convenience before any safety considerations,” he said.

Coldside councillor Dave Bowes said there were similar problems in his ward and had been for many years. He said he had received complaints about irresponsible parking at a number of schools in the area, including Dens Road and SS Peter and Paul.

Mr Bowes said he welcomed the fact that the council would be establishing a working group to try and address the issue.

“The bottom line is that children’s safety is being put at risk for no better reason than avoiding the inconvenience of walking a few extra yards.”