AN initiative geared to easing the parking problems outside Cardenden Primary School is making an impact.

The walking to school plan at the school started last Monday with children walking meeting at the Corrie Centre at 8.15am and then walking to the school in Carden Avenue.

The move is part of measures to try to persuade parents that making the school drop-off in the morning and collection in the afternoon is not the best way to go.

It means that in the morning and afternoon the road outside the school can be packed with cars.

Teacher Rosemary Liewald has been involved in the walking to school plan and has been encouraged with the way things have started.

She said: "The Parent Council has been very active in promoting this idea which sees pupils get the opportunity to walk or cycle to school accompanied and back to a pick up point in the afternoon.

"It is a safe way for the children to get to school and at the same time helps to promote keeping active and of course eases the parking issues near the school gates."

Joining the walking team last week were local councillors Linda Erskine and Ian Chisholm and Community Constables Gavin Keith and John Nugent.

Cardenden Community Council have been concerned about the levels of parking in the vicinity of the school for a considerable time and they are supporting the walk to school idea.

Rosemary added: "We have had 15 children joining the walk to school group in the first week of the initiative and the word has been getting around so we hope that the numbers will grow.

"The more children that are walking or cycling means that there are less cars parking near the school."

There are hopes that the initiative will gather momentum in the weeks between now and the summer holidays.