A CARDONALD councillor has warned Glasgow City Council (GCC) that a child could be seriously hurt if its “useless” car-free zone isn’t enforced.

Councillor Jim Kavanagh said he will hold the council responsible if a pupil is injured near Cardonald’s Our Lady of the Rosary Primary.

It comes as a whistleblower slammed the local authority for the “chaotic” car-free zone.

Mr Kavanagh said: “If there’s no enforcement by the council, then we’re just spending this money ­because we’ve been given it.

“The police don’t have the ­resources, we know where there resources need to go, and if we’d assessed it properly we’d have said ‘look, enforcement is a problem we’re struggling with’.

“But now it’s being rolled out across the city and there’s no plan.”

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He added: “If a kid gets knocked down, I’m going to the council because they’re responsible for it – no matter how much they want to pass the buck.”

Staff are reportedly struggling to manage the school’s car-free zone, which was introduced by the council in August last year, as a number of parents continue to flout the ban.

Vehicles, other than residents or emergency services, are not permitted to travel along Lourdes Avenue and Tarfside Gardens between 8.30am and 9.15am, and 2.30pm and 3.15pm, on school days.

The school pleaded with the council for help to enforce the zone last month, but were told to report incidents to police.

Fed-up staff claim they’ve been left to manage the problem and have blasted road bosses at the council for bringing in the scheme with “no plan” for enforcing it.

GCC insist only police have enforcement powers.

The member of staff said: “I’m hoping you can help address a number of issues in relation to the car-free zones set up in Glasgow.

“Quite simply the scheme isn’t working. We were never consulted and neither were the local police or residents with whom I have spoken to. I’ve tried to complain, but the attitude of those involved in managing the scheme is atrocious – they fob you off with excuses and I was even told to phone the police to complain the scheme isn’t working when it was Glasgow City Council that introduced it.”

The school worker added: “In conclusion, this is a poorly managed, poorly communicated and useless scheme and a complete waste of taxpayers’ money.”

Inspector Scott Simpson said: “Police Scotland works with local authority partners to raise awareness of zones where temporary traffic regulation orders have been introduced. Where demand allows, we conduct patrols in these areas and carry out enforcement action when needed.

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“We would ask parents and carers to take personal responsibility when dropping children off at school and adhere to the measures which are in place for their children’s safety. We would encourage them to use alternative methods such as walking or cycling.”

A council spokesman said: “The issue with the school car-free zone at Our Lady of the Rosary Primary is that a minority of drivers put a premium on their convenience over the safety of children.

“The city council, the police, the school and the parent council are all behind this scheme to make streets safer for children.

“We have all been explicit that cars should not drive in the car-free zone at the start and end of the school day but some drivers clearly consider themselves above the

law.

“School car-free zones have been successfully introduced across the city and the scheme has been well observed at other schools where significant drops in traffic have been experienced.

“Sadly there have been issues at Our Lady of the Rosary, but those issues are entirely due to selfish drivers who refuse to accept the scheme is in place.

“We will continue to work with the school and the police to promote the benefits of school car-free zones.”