A £50,000 scheme to stop parents from parking outside schools in Sandwell has been scrapped.

Council bosses have axed the project due to the national spending cuts.

The scheme was due to start in August, with red lines being painted outside the first of the schools, banning parents from picking up and dropping off their children.

It was claimed the move would increase safety and crack down on inconsiderate drivers at the school gates.

But it’s now not going ahead, as it’s not considered a priority.

Councillor Mahboob Hussain, Sandwell Council cabinet member for improvement and efficiency, said: “It is something we will not be considering because of the massive spending cuts in the Black Country.

“The parking scheme is not a priority at present.”

He added:”We need to access the local authority’s budget before we start to talk to other local authorities.

“I think it would be wrong to spend thousands of pounds on this parking scheme while these spending cuts are on their way.”

Sandwell Council was in talks with other local authorities across the Black Country about rolling the project out if it was a success.

Councillor Hussain reckons the scheme may be considered again in a year’s time.

He said: “We always said it was something which we would need to do across the Black Country after speaking to other local authorities.

“Seeing these spending cuts, this will not now be happening for at least the next 12 months.”

There was also talk of a spy car patrolling Sandwell schools to catch illegal parkers on camera.

That scheme, which was due to be up and running by September, is now also on ice.

Councillor Hussain added the council would now only consider red lines outside schools if they were requested by concerned members of staff.