A PARKING partnership has launched a new package in the hope to improve road safety for hundreds of school pupils.

As part of Road Safety Week, the North Essex Parking Partnership is aiming to improve road safety for more than 400 pupils at Earls Colne Primary School, by launching one of its Gold 3PR packages.

3PR, which represents the three parking rules of care, consideration and caution, delivers a positive message about school parking and provides advice and guidance to children, parents and carers on safe and considerate parking practices.

As well as focussing on safety outside the school gates, the initiative also encourages sustainable and physically active ways of travelling to and from school such as walking, cycling and scooting.

This package includes park and stride locations, where parents are encouraged to park away from the school gates and complete the rest of their journey on foot.

The aim is to reduce the number of vehicles stopping to drop pupils outside of the gates, potentially obstructing the view of pedestrians and cyclists, to reduce congestion and increase safety.

Partners of this park and stride scheme include Earls Colne Recreation Club car park, Earls Colne Village car park, Earls Colne Village Hall car park and Riverside Spice car park.

The school will also be operating and patrolling a 3PR zone outside the school, where pupils collect tokens for walking, scooting, or cycling into the zone.

This reduces the number of cars at the school gates and engages pupils by encouraging competition with other classes to be awarded the coveted 3PR trophy.

In addition to the above, the school has been provided with 3PR resources including 3PR Hi Vis jackets, information leaflets, signage, educational content and much more.

Headteacher of Earls Colne Primary School Jakki Sibley said: “Here at Earls Colne Primary we’re very committed to finding new ways to encourage a calmer, safer and greener school journey for our families.

“We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact the park and stride and 3PR zone will have on cars stopping outside the gates to drop off pupils. 

"I'd like to take the opportunity to say thank you to the local businesses who have supported the scheme and allow our families to use their facilities, this community is great at working together and this is no exception.”