Car Park Management Guidelines

Help for non-English speakers

If you need help to understand the information in this policy please contact the school office on (03) 9366 4322

Purpose

The parking of cars and other vehicles in and around the school grounds is a daily necessity, but also raises a number of safety and traffic issues that must be managed.

Objective

To ensure that car and vehicle parking in and around the school grounds is orderly, safe and in accordance with the law.

Overview

Over the last few years our parent drop-off and pickup of students from school has more than tripled with now up to 152 families collecting their child from school. Like most neighbourhood schools, we do not have adequate parking facilities for all staff, visitors and parents/carers. Our pickup and drop off zone can only allow for up to 18 parked cars. We also have limited car parking for the 136 staff at Jackson School. 

It is a traffic offence for cars to be parked over the public footpath and obstruct oncoming traffic on any public road. We do not have authority to change parking or traffic management systems around our school. Please note, Brimbank Council have fined families for blocking the footpath at the vehicle entry gate. See the Brimbank Council page for more information.

We are working with Brimbank Council about congestion and parking issues around the school caused by Ginifer Station commuters and Sunshine Hospital staff/visitors. A Car Parking Management Plan (CPMP) for the Sunshine Hospital and Ginifer station precincts is currently underway.

Implementation

• The parking of any vehicle inside the school grounds is at the discretion of the Principal.
• No person is to drive a vehicle within the internal school grounds without prior approval from the Principal, and/or delegate e.g. Facilities Manager, and drivers must abide by the Jackson School Traffic Management Plan with a vehicle staff escort.
• Pedestrians must use pedestrian gates and not the vehicle entry and exit gates.
• Pedestrians are encouraged to use the crossings where possible.
• The allocated car parking bays are for use by staff members only. Please note: we only have 90 parking bays for 136 staff (front, internal and rear car park).
• Visitors are required to use the 18 allocated drop-off bays (shown in yellow on the map above) during school hours. During the hours of 8:30-9:00am and 2:30-3:00pm there is a 5 minute limit on these bays.
• We ask all family members entering the car park during pick-up and drop-off times to keep moving through the drop off and collection zone and not to park in the centre thoroughfare or block the entry gate and or internal car park.  
• Where possible we ask families to park in the neighbouring streets around the school and walk into the school grounds to collect children from the school.
• The school will encourage students to be active and walk or ride to school. 
• Staff will be encouraged to utilised public transport or car pool where possible.
• Parents or visitors are required to park in the Brimbank Council parking on the  streets surrounding the school; all council signage and regular road rules apply.
• After school hours vehicle access to the school is prevented by the electronic locked gates. Access is not permitted when the gates are closed. Please use on street parking if required.
• The school reserves the right to install traffic management measures as required to ensure student safety and to manage high volumes of traffic. This may include when the car park is full during student collection periods.
• Vehicles on school grounds must comply with speed restrictions. The speed limit onsite at Jackson School is 5km per hour.
• School Council will seek frequent visitations from Brimbank Council local parking officers to ensure compliance with parking regulations in the areas surrounding the school. 
• The Principal and/or delegated staff will approach members of the community who are parking inappropriately.
• A secure location will be provided for students and staff to leave their bike/scooter during the school day.
• Staff will be allocated to direct traffic before (from 8:45am) and after school (from 2:30pm). Family members and/or students are not permitted to direct traffic onsite at any times. Please note: penalties may apply for illegally directing traffic.
• Damage to vehicles parked on school grounds is not covered by the Department of Education insurance (VMIA).
• OSHC families may use the parking bays after school hours and during the school holiday program.
• Large deliveries are requested to unload in the rear car park or at the Facilities entrance on Legana Street.

Communication

This policy will be communicated to our community in the following ways: 

• School Newsletter to families at least annually
• Discussed upon enrolment with families
• Included in staff handbook and induction program
• Discussed at staff briefings/meetings (as required)

Policy Review and Approval