The 'safe haven' scheme which could see drivers fined for unlawful parking near schools is about improving safety for children and not about raising cash, Cheshire East's highways boss said.

The council announced last month it will be piloting the scheme at four schools.

New automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will be installed to help enforce signed stopping restrictions outside Ivy Bank Primary and Marlborough Primary in Macclesfield, and Manor Park and St Vincent's primaries in Knutsford, over the next few days.

At last week's meeting of the full council Macclesfield councillor Brian Puddicombe (Lab) welcomed the scheme saying: "Parking outside our schools at drop off and pick up point times can be frequently chaotic and potentially dangerous due to the minority of inconsiderate parent parkers."

He asked Cllr Mark Goldsmith, chair of the highways and transport committee, how the four schools were chosen and what the cost of the scheme is to Cheshire East Council.

He also wanted to know where the revenue from the fines will go and what additional steps will be taken to encourage parents to use more active travel means to get their children to school.

Cllr Mark Goldsmith (Credit: CEC)

Cllr Goldsmith (Wilmslow, Ind) said: "Priority locations for this pilot have been identified from reports and by monitoring from our parking services of persistent problems at those areas."

He said a start date for enforcement activity has yet to be decided and contracts are being finalised with the service provider for the monitoring and cameras.

"Before the cameras are installed, there will be engagement with the priority schools involved and any nearby residents," said Cllr Goldsmith.

"There'll be an opportunity to clarify the purpose of the equipment and help the use for traffic enforcement."

He added: "This is really about changing driver behaviour, it is not about raising revenue."

Cllr Goldsmith said, where a similar scheme had been introduced in Derby, people were sent a written warning letter first and only issued with a fine for a second offence.

"But 89 per cent of people didn't offend again. The warning letter did the job, and that is really what was intended," he said.

"Therefore, we see this approach providing a proportionate and flexible response to public concerns about traffic and parking in the vicinity of our schools, and we look forward to working with councillors and school leaders to make the pilot project a success so that we can roll it out to other schools, if possible."

Under the Safe Haven Outside Schools pilot, drivers contravening parking bans will face £35 fixed penalty fines – which rise to £70 if not paid within 14 days.