Parents who drive their children to the school gates could face fines of up to £130 under a new scheme launched by Croydon Council.

The six-month pilot at three schools in the borough has been launched after concerns were raised about congestion and child safety.

Under the scheme, residents and their visitors around the schools will need a permit to use the roads during the morning and afternoon school runs.

Temporary automatic number plate recognition cameras will be used to ensure those passing through the pedestrian zones have a permit, which is free to apply for.

Anyone caught driving in the zones during the school run without a permit will receive a £130 fine, with all the profit being invested towards the Freedom Pass.

‘These roads are a school run traffic headache for everyone, so this trial is about improving child safety and boosting walking and the environment,’ said cllr Stuart King, the council’s cabinet member for transport and environment.

‘By getting hundreds of individual parents to park legally outside these pedestrian zones or – even better – at home, we hope this will make a big difference and we want to hear what people think.’