CHILDREN are hoping to stamp out dangerous parking outside their school by targeting the culprits — their parents.

Pupils from Langford Village and Longfields primary schools have been campaigning for months to make school-run drivers more aware of the dangers of parking on yellow zigzag lines.

Last month, children held a protest outside the school in Peregrine Way, Bicester, urging drivers not to park on the zigzag lines and to park safely.

Now the youngsters want drivers to sign up to a parking promise pledging to park in nearby shop and pub car parks and not on the zigzags.

So far, about 100 parents have signed up to the scheme and will now get a badge, created by pupil Olivia Stock, nine, to put in their car window. About 80 Langford students took part in a competition to design the badge, won by Olivia.

The school decided to get tough after a child was knocked over last summer and suffered minor cuts.

Since then a lollipop man has been employed, but the school wants to tackle the cause of the problem.

Headteacher John Moffitt said: “It is part of a campaign by ourselves, Oxfordshire County Council and Thames Valley Police to improve children’s access to school in the morning because of cars parking outside.”

He said parents had ignored letters and police warnings and continued to park on zigzags in front of the school or nearby residents’ driveways.

Mr Moffitt said: “What we are asking is for parents and families to sign up to our parking promise. The badge goes into people’s windows like a tax disc.

“It says they won’t park on the zigzag lines and will make every effort to park in the public car park.

“They display this and promise to park safely.”

Pc Nicki Entwistle, of Thames Valley Police, said: “The safety of all children who attend the school is paramount to us and the school.

“The zigzag lines are there for a reason.

“It’s pure laziness and people have no reason to park there.

“Parents may think they are only there for a couple of seconds but that’s all it takes for a child to get knocked over.”

Michael Waine, the council's cabinet member for schools improvement, said: “This is a great example of young people taking responsibility and helping to address issues of concern to them.

“Children do not feel safe when there are a large numbers of vehicles blocking their view, which can be the case outside schools.

“I hope this initiative will be supported by the school community and that we will see an increase in the number of people walking to school.

Longfields School, which has similar problems, launched its parking badge on Thursday.