15 August 2025

Dear Parents,

The carpark…that hallowed ground where fresh news spreads at the coffee caravan, grapevines thrive and misconceptions mushroom, often way out of proportion ….has been the topic of conversation for a while. The main theme being: “The carpark is a problem”. I have invited staff to join me in the carpark on a few occasions and it appears that the carpark itself seems fine. 

The problems arise when drivers ignore the parking rules: 

I know our parents are sufficiently considerate, and we ask that everyone continues to be mindful of these misdemeanours to keep the carpark safe and free-flowing. We also appreciate your help in ensuring that children do not walk into oncoming traffic entering the carpark.

I would also like to focus on another carpark issue. Our children’s lungs.

Many years ago, while visiting schools in England, I noticed a map showing the distribution of asthma cases across the country. Unsurprisingly the greatest numbers of cases were all along the major roadways. This added to my gratitude that I was able to raise my own children at Clifton, away from the polluted air of the cities.

There is little doubt that one of the reasons most of us choose to live in Nottingham Road (besides Clifton, of course) is the clean air which we can all enjoy, along with sweet water and the peace of the countryside. It seems bizarre, then, that the number of parents leave their cars idling in the carpark, forcing children to inhale fairly concentrated exhaust fumes as they walk to class.

Car idling contributes substantially to air pollution. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an idling car emits around 20 times more pollution than one traveling at 30 miles per hour. This includes harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to smog formation and have detrimental effects on air quality.

Moreover, idling wastes fuel. The Department of Energy estimates that idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than restarting the engine. Considering that many parents idle between 10 to 30 minutes in school pick-up lines, the cumulative fuel waste is substantial. This unnecessary fuel consumption contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change.

George Monbiot’s article ‘Don’t Breathe” is a good read and can be accessed here.