The school year is back and with it comes the return of the school run. 

Millions of parents will be taking their children to and from school over the the next ten months or so and those that choose to leave their car too close to school may be hit with a fine of up to £100 due to new regulations. 

From October onwards, vehicles that are parked directly outside a school will be penalised under a public spaces protection order (PSPO) - regulation that has been introduced in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour. 

PSPOs can also be applied to actions such as aggressive begging and street drinking, with the fine for a minor offence generally between £70 and £100.

The return of the school year is certainly a busy time for civil enforcement officers and those with careers in parking.

Research from British Car Auctions (BCA) has revealed 57 per cent of UK motorists have reported seeing illegal parking outside of school gates. The situation is most severe in Scotland, where 62 per cent of drivers highlighted it as a problem.

More than a quarter (28 per cent) of the parents surveyed said they have seen arguments between other parents and residents over parking spaces located near to schools. This is most common in London, with 30 per cent of respondents from the capital saying they have witnessed disagreements.

Tim Naylor of the BCA stated: "It’s clear from our survey that the stresses of the school run are getting motorists hot under the collar. 

"There are potentially dangerous choices being made by some drivers when it comes to double-parking outside the school gates and 'drop and go' tactics that leave pupils having to negotiate busy roads before reaching the safety of the school."

More than half of the people surveyed said they would support the introduction of drop-off areas near schools to tackle congestion and parking problems.