Hundreds of parking fines issued outside Barnsley schools as enforcement steps up

Parking officers issued more than 200 fines outside schools in south Barnsley over a five-month period, new figures show.

A report from BMBC Parking Services covering October 2025 to February 2026 shows 216 penalty charge notices (PCNs) were handed out during patrols across Wombwell, Hoyland, Rockingham and Darfield.

Officers carried out 1,198 observations and spent a total of 446 hours monitoring problem areas, visiting 78 schools in total.

However, the report says the number of observations being significantly higher than fines suggests officers are successfully encouraging drivers to move on rather than issuing penalties.

Wombwell saw the highest level of enforcement, with 146 fines issued over 207 hours, followed by Hoyland and Milton with 30 PCNs.

Rockingham recorded 21 fines and Darfield 19.

The report also highlights a number of incidents during patrols. In one case, councillor Kevin Osborne observed officers outside Upperwood Academy in Darfield and praised their approach to engaging with and educating parents.

But staff also faced challenges, including a “negative interaction” at Kirk Balk School in Hoyland, where students threw a vape bottle at officers on more than one occasion.

Parking officers carried out seven visits to a school in Hoyland Common during the period, issuing four fines while focusing on engagement and education.

The report also identified ongoing issues with road markings and parking infrastructure, including faded disabled bays in Wombwell and road surface concerns in Hoyland.

Council officers say enforcement will continue alongside efforts to educate drivers and improve safety outside schools.