Subsidised School Run

Gonzalez wrote:
A while back I posted about the absurd situation at the school where I
teach. Parents who drive their children to school enjoy an £70 per
annum subsidy. An annual "School Run Permit" costs just £10 allowing
40 minutes parking per day for about 200 days.

This subsidy is to be withdrawn. The parents are raising a petition
(at the school's (and taxpayers') expense). What is the best way to
counter this petition?

Going to be difficult because they'll be going for the sympathy vote
(couldn't possible let Jemima walk to the school, and the full parking fee
is going to mean we have to sell the Range Rover).

I'd suggest wading in with the Government's recent "healthy living"
promotion; 60 minutes exercise a day for kiddies being the target. A fast 30
minute walk each way to school would mean they'd done their quota in full.

That and pointing out the subsidy from the parents of kids who do
walk/cycle/bus to school.





--
NC - Webmaster for http://www.2mm.org.uk/
Replies to newsgroup postings to the newsgroup please.

On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 20:10:51 +0100, Gonzalez
wrote:

A while back I posted about the absurd situation at the school where I
teach. Parents who drive their children to school enjoy an £70 per
annum subsidy. An annual "School Run Permit" costs just £10 allowing
40 minutes parking per day for about 200 days.

This subsidy is to be withdrawn. The parents are raising a petition
(at the school's (and taxpayers') expense). What is the best way to
counter this petition?

I'm assuming the school charges for parking for those without a permit
and that the £70 subsidy is the revenue forgone.

Think of a few worthy uses for £80 * (number of permits) and ask the
headmaster whether he prefers school resources to be spent on (a)
books and other educational stuff or (b) parking for parents rich
enough to own cars.

I don't know how many pupils can be cycle-trained for £80 but that'd
be a good use of the cash which would go towards meeting whatever
targets schools have these days for exercise, safety and reduced CO2
emmissions.

My rough calcs show that the school is charging 50p per hour for
parking. Might be worth calculating the real value of the land and
coming up with a truely unsubsidised price for parking.
--

Transport & Urban Planning Blog

now at http://notonmywatch.blogs.com

"NC" writed in
:

Gonzalez wrote:
A while back I posted about the absurd situation at the school where
I teach. Parents who drive their children to school enjoy an £70 per
annum subsidy. An annual "School Run Permit" costs just £10 allowing
40 minutes parking per day for about 200 days.

This subsidy is to be withdrawn. The parents are raising a petition
(at the school's (and taxpayers') expense). What is the best way to
counter this petition?

Going to be difficult because they'll be going for the sympathy vote
(couldn't possible let Jemima walk to the school, and the full parking
fee is going to mean we have to sell the Range Rover).

I'd suggest wading in with the Government's recent "healthy living"
promotion; 60 minutes exercise a day for kiddies being the target. A
fast 30 minute walk each way to school would mean they'd done their
quota in full.

Healthy Schools? - Get the School Nurse on board (Every school should
have a link to the School Nursing Service through your local Primary Care
Trust). School Nurses are key in the Healthy Schools initiative in many
areas.

"Gonzalez" wrote in message
...
It's me who should apologise.

The school is in Inner London. Most children live within a mile of
the school. Parking is in Blackheath Station Car Park run by Lewisham
Council. The car park costs are 10p for 10 minutes.

As a parent who drives his kid to school in Lewisham every morning (before
cycling into work in town) I'd like to say driving slowly and blocking the
traffic is great fun.

So I say withdraw the subsidy and let them all park in the middle of the
road ;o).

On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 20:23:06 GMT, Mike Gayler
wrote:

Healthy Schools? - Get the School Nurse on board (Every school should
have a link to the School Nursing Service through your local Primary Care
Trust). School Nurses are key in the Healthy Schools initiative in many
areas.

Shameless plug: http://www.artybee.net/html/cycle_to_school.html

Slash their f***ing 18" £250 tyres, all 4 by f***ing 4 of them.

Everyday my 2 school-age nippers and either I or my wife cycle them to
and from school. And *every* day we struggle past the cars blocking the
way, or accelerating past us to stop again and leave no gap by the kerb
etc etc.

Almost every one of these idle, ignorant f***wits lives within 2
miles.... 2 miles!!!!!!

I understand the safety concern -- so why not walk or cycle with them?

Sorry for swearing.

Gonzalez wrote:
A while back I posted about the absurd situation at the school where I
teach. Parents who drive their children to school enjoy an £70 per
annum subsidy. An annual "School Run Permit" costs just £10 allowing
40 minutes parking per day for about 200 days.

This subsidy is to be withdrawn. The parents are raising a petition
(at the school's (and taxpayers') expense). What is the best way to
counter this petition?

injuryprone wrote:

Almost every one of these idle, ignorant f***wits lives within 2
miles.... 2 miles!!!!!!
I understand the safety concern -- so why not walk or cycle with them?

Because then they might be run over by some witless cager in a 4x4. The
ability to perceive the obvious is not granted to these people.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

Victory is ours! Down with Eric the Half A Brain!

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 09:56:59 +0100, Just zis Guy, you know?
wrote:

injuryprone wrote:

Almost every one of these idle, ignorant f***wits lives within 2
miles.... 2 miles!!!!!!
I understand the safety concern -- so why not walk or cycle with them?

Because then they might be run over by some witless cager in a 4x4. The
ability to perceive the obvious is not granted to these people.

This is a persistent problem at a school just around the corner from my
office. I pass each day (on foot) and there are numerous cars, mostly
4x4s[1] waiting on the yellow zigzags, on the double yellow lines which
extend beyond the zigzags and in the marked bus bay. There is always free
space a few yards down the road in designated parking bays. Yesterday took
the biscuit when a landrover filled the one gap in the zigzagged area at
high speed just because the driver saw her little dear. She didn't hit
anyone else's little dear but it's only a matter of time. Amazingly there
is always a teacher on duty but they don't seem too bothered about the
parking. I think a letter to the headmaster/mistress is in order

Colin
[1] Very expensive ones as this is The Bow School.
--

"Frank X" wrote in message ...
"Gonzalez" wrote in message
...
The school is in Inner London. Most children live within a mile of
the school. Parking is in Blackheath Station Car Park run by Lewisham
Council. The car park costs are 10p for 10 minutes.

As a parent who drives his kid to school in Lewisham every morning (before
cycling into work in town) I'd like to say driving slowly and blocking the
traffic is great fun.

So I say withdraw the subsidy and let them all park in the middle of the
road ;o).

it might be fun for you but speaking as someone who cycles that way to
work daily (with my daughter on the back once a week to the
childminder who we deliberately chose to be on my commute) I find the
blocking and delays frustrating. Now I don't single school run
traffic out from any other rush hour traffic but school run parking is
a particular safety issue.

best wishes
james

Colin Blackburn wrote:
I think a
letter to the headmaster/mistress is in order

I would write to the Chair of the Governors, and also ask them for a copy of
their Travel Plan.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

Victory is ours! Down with Eric the Half A Brain!