MOTORISTS caught parking on zig-zag lines outside schools in Southend will be targeted by police and parking officers during a campaign.

Teams from Essex Police and Southend Council’s road safety team are joining forces to send a message out to drivers who park on the lines as the national Road UK Safety Week starts on Monday.

It comes just weeks after it was revealed in the Echo how the amount of motorists given fines for parking on the zig-zags trebelled between 2011 and 2013.

During the campaign, officers will be going around schools in the borough checking whether people are parked on the lines, which breaches the Highway Code.

Anyone caught on the lines will then be spoken to about why they should not be on there while leaflets explaining the rules and safety issues will also be handed out.

Cheryl Hindle-Terry, team leader of the council’s road safety team said: “We need to make it very clear to some drivers that this area is not reserved for them to drop off or collect their children.

“They may be unaware of the potential danger they are causing to their own children and all the other children near the school.

“It is vital for our children to have safe and hassle-free journeys to and from school.

“Many parents mistakenly believe it is safer to deliver their children as close as possible to the classroom door, not realising the risks they are taking for their own children and others.”

Information will also be given about issues revolving around parking on the pavement, grass verges, corners and across driveways of other residents.

A survey released by insurance firm AXA last month showed the amount of drivers in Southend caught on zig-zags rose from 326 in 2011 to 1,049 in 2013.

Reasoning behind the increase has been linked to the use of spy cars.

People caught parking on zig-zags are issued a £70 fine.