In the municipality of Raszyn, in the Warsaw conurbation, blue and yellow road markings near a school have sparked controversy: some residents and social media users have suggested that they are intended for Ukrainians. The local authorities stated that this is a ‘Kiss and Ride’ zone for all parents to drop off their children briefly. At the time the photographs were taken, the road markings had not yet been completed.
Briefly about the main points
- The blue and yellow markings near the school in Rashin have sparked a row.
- Some commentators have mistakenly linked the labelling to privileges for Ukrainians.
- The local council has designated these areas as short-stay parking zones for parents.
- The area will be open on weekday mornings to keep the approach to the school tidy.
The colours of the road markings gave the local dispute a political dimension
New seating areas have been set up near the school on Unii Europejskiej Street. Some local residents interpreted the combination of blue and yellow as a reference to the Ukrainian flag. Rumours circulated on social media about these being special spaces for Ukrainian citizens or a symbolic gesture of support for Ukrainian schoolchildren.
A member of parliament from the «Confederation» party joined the debate» Konrad Berkovich. He posted a message asking: «Is this still Poland?».
This area is designated for the quick drop-off of children before lessons begin
Deputy Mayor of the municipality Aneta Vrotna She explained that K+R is available to all parents who drop their children off at school. Drivers must stop briefly, let their child out and immediately make way for the next car.
In Rashin, the zone will be in operation from Monday to Friday, from 7.00 am to 9.00 am. The local community hopes that this arrangement will reduce morning traffic congestion at the entrance and make dropping off children safer. Kiss and Ride zones are not intended for long-term parking: stops usually last a few tens of seconds or one to two minutes.
The final signage should make it clearer where people should sit
Representatives of the municipality attributed some of the misunderstandings to the fact that, in the widely circulated photographs, the work was still in progress. Once the paint has dried, a white border and the letters ‘K+R’ are to be applied to the areas to explain the function of the section.
The redevelopment of this area forms part of wider works on Unii Europejskiej Street. These works also included raised pedestrian crossings, and the stated aim was to improve safety in the vicinity of primary schools.
The blue-and-yellow colour scheme for K+R zones has also been used in other Polish cities, notably Warsaw and Gdynia. However, open-source information does not indicate the existence of a single standard for these colours that is mandatory throughout Poland.
