It’s a great result for the authority’s new, innovative school safety campaign
Lincolnshire County Council has won the 2026/27 PATROL Driving Improvement Award for its new approach to tackling unsafe parking around schools. The award brings national recognition and funding to deliver the work.
The competition for the funding was open to councils across the country. LCC’s bid has been applauded for standing out from the competition from other authorities with its evidence base approach, and the focus on showing the problem from a child’s point of view.
LCC Parking Services Manager Matt Jones said the award reflects the scale of the issue: “Unsafe parking around schools is a real and persistent issue across Lincolnshire and the country as a whole.
“This award recognises our commitment to tackling it in a new, more impactful way.”
Cllr David East, Executive Member for Highways at the authority, added: “This is a really strong piece of work, and it’s great to see Lincolnshire recognised nationally for such an innovative, evidence‑led approach.”
What the campaign will do
The council’s No Excuses: Safer Streets for Lincolnshire campaign uses drone footage and child‑level camera work to show the risks created when vehicles stop or park around school gates. The winning LCC bid scored highly by setting out:
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Clear evidence of the problem
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Engagement plans with schools, parents and communities
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A method for measuring behaviour change
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A toolkit so other councils can use the approach
Funding from the road safety organisation PATROL will support the rollout from autumn 2026. A full report and materials will follow in 2027.
Why this matters
Parking outside schools is one of the most common concerns raised by communities across the country with Lincolnshire residents and pedestrians particularly vulnerable due to the urban location and narrow roads of the county.
Vehicles stopping on zig‑zags, blocking sight lines or mounting pavements create real risks for children walking to and from school.
The LCC campaign focuses on prevention. It aims to change behaviour before incidents occur.
Matt Jones added: “By showing the problem from a child’s eye view and using real‑world evidence, we want to challenge attitudes, encourage behaviour change and make our schools and streets safer.”
Sharing the work nationally
Lincolnshire County Council has now been invited to present its plans at the PATROL Joint Committee Annual Meeting in London on Tuesday 14 July.
Laura Padden, Director at PATROL, said: “Lincolnshire County Council submitted a distinctive, considered bid to the Driving Improvement Awards this year.
“We are excited to work with the council to bring its creative, drone‑led No Excuses campaign to life and share the insights and materials with all our authorities.”