PUPILS at an Oxford school have played deal-brokers in a solution to traffic problems with the school run.

With help from teachers, police and road safety officers, pupils at St John Fisher School have struck up an agreement with the Oxford & District Indoor Bowls Club to trial a scheme allowing parents to park at the Sandy Lane club.

Oxfordshire County Council road safety officer Mandy Rigault said: “The St John Fisher STARS (School Travel And Road Safety) team have successfully negotiated a park-and-walk site from the bowls club next to the school.

“The children went to see some bowls club representatives last term and explained how parents parking inappropriately and obstructively in Sandy Lane West made life difficult for them and their school crossing patrol.

“The bowls club members were sympathetic and have given permission for spaces in their car park to be used by parents before and after school."

Bernice Trafford, who sits on the bowls club’s management committee, said: “I do appreciate it’s been a bit dangerous at time for the children out on the road.

“I went to one meeting when the children came and we went out to discuss it, and I thought they were really quite nice, and they seemed very bright and they seemed to know what they wanted to happen.”

The school ran a competition to design a parking permit which parents will display in their windscreen.

The pilot will run until Christmas and if all parties are happy, it will then become permanent.

Headteacher Jude Bennett said the project has not only helped to tackle the parking problem, but has also been educational for the students.

She added: “This really has been a four-way thing between the school, road safety officers, the police and the bowls club.

“For the children it’s been a good process. The children have been the driving force, they’ve learnt to compromise and negotiate and the bowls club have been great.”

Pc Ashley Gardner, who has been involved in the school project and conducted speed operations outside the gates with help from the pupils, said: “The kids came up with the ideas themselves and have worked really hard to make this happen.”