‘Roly Patroly’ is ready for road safety duty

Meet ‘Roly Patroly’, the new camera car that will soon be patrolling Bridgend County Borough to help tackle the problem of dangerous parking outside schools.

The car has been named by six-year-old Cwmfelin Primary School pupil Thomas Lewis who won a competition after Bridgend County Borough Council invited local schoolchildren to put forward their ideas.

Thomas won a certificate and gift voucher for his creative effort, and the vehicle has been emblazoned with its new name, joining the likes of Lightning McQueen and Herbie as a car with character!

‘Roly Patroly’ uses CCTV automatic number plate recognition, and is designed to record any inconsiderate motorists who park their cars illegally on school ‘keep clear’ zones, bus stops, pedestrian crossings with zig-zags and other restricted areas that put children at risk.

The car only needs to drive past in order to do its job, and doesn’t need to park or stop outside a school. Drivers caught on camera parking illegally will receive a penalty charge notice in the mail for £70, discounted to £35 if paid within the first 21 days.

As this new camera car will be a friend for children, making the streets safer outside their schools, we thought it would be fun to ask pupils to give it a name. We had lots of really good ideas and it was a tough choice to pick a winner, so well done Thomas!

Despite the best efforts of schools, the council’s parking team and PCSOs to tackle this recurring problem, some drivers continue to park dangerously and illegally, and are putting the lives of children at risk as well as contributing to traffic congestion at peak times. We want the camera car to be firmly focused upon improving road safety. It is prohibited by law from being used to raise revenue.

I hope that the new camera car will prove to be a major deterrent that encourages drivers to think more carefully about where they park or how they get children to and from school, and helps to create a safer environment for all.

Councillor Richard Young, Cabinet Member for Communities

Cwmfelin Primary School Head Teacher Julie Morgan said: “We are grateful to all the children who took part in the competition and are really proud that Thomas has given the car such a fantastic name! Cwmfelin is one of many schools which experiences issues where motorists park dangerously, so we welcome and support this new camera car. We are hopeful that the school run will become safer for our children and their families, as well as ensuring the safety of residents and visitors to the local community.”

As well as running a competition to name the new car, the council also invited pupils to design banners promoting the car’s presence outside schools. There are nine winning designs, and each of the successful pupils will be visited later this month.