Manchester drivers be warned… Zig and Zag are watching you.
Two cars designed to catch illegally parking motorists outside schools have been given fun new names from pupils at a Moss Side primary school.
Webster Primary School held a competition to name the cars which are equipped with CCTV cameras that can capture details of vehicles parked outside schools.
The winning names were Zig and Zag and the winning pupils have received book tokens.
Councillor Kate Chappell, Manchester City Council’s executive member for the environment, said that parents and teachers regularly complain about the problem.
“A minority of motorists persist in parking without any consideration for children who are being dropped off on the busy school run,” she said.
“Any parent will tell you there is nothing more infuriating than irresponsible parking outside schools and these cars will prove a huge deterrent to those people who think this is acceptable.”
Previously teachers have attempted to prevent motorists from parking illegally with little success.
Zig and Zag are replacing older vehicles which used to have to be parked outside schools – therefore taking up a spot that could have been used by parents and also would be restricted to one school at a time.
The new cars will be able to drive past schools and on their way capture images of illegally parked cars which will then be assessed before fines are posted out.
Jeremy Jackson, Headteacher of Webster Primary School said: “We’re hoping that the CCTV cars will now succeed in making them change their behaviour to ensure the safety of the children.”
Image courtesy of tico_24 via Flickr, with thanks.
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