'Parking putting pupils in danger'
A worried parent is calling for bollards to prevent "dangerous" parking outside a city school.
Elizabeth Atkins, who has three sons at Queensmead Academy, in Braunstone, Leicester, says there is an accident waiting to happen outside, particularly at the busy entrance on Hamelin Road.
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Mrs Atkins, who lives in nearby Winstanley Drive and walks her sons to and from the school, said: "It's chaotic at the start and finish of the school day with parents dropping off their children and picking them up.
"Some people park on the zig zag lines outside the school and others don't care about mounting the pavement to get a space. It's a huge worry.
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"One car narrowly missed my son by a few inches when it came up on to the curb recently. It's horrifying to watch and I don't want it to take a serious accident before the council does something about this.
"The school does everything it can and is constantly reminding parents to drive safely and responsibly in its newsletter."
Mrs Atkins contacted Leicester West MP Liz Kendall to voice her concerns.
She said: "Thanks to Liz, traffic officers came down for a week and stood outside the school to stop parents parking dangerously, but now they have gone, it's happening all over again.
"Putting bollards on the pavement outside the school would be a permanent solution.
"It needs to be done before a child gets killed."
Queensmead head teacher Andy Clarke said: "We're quite an open site and I'd welcome bollards or any other measures which could bring a solution to this, as we worry about children's safety all the time."
Ms Kendall said: "The council has assured me they will review the road markings to make sure they support the highest levels of road safety. This will include considering a 'no stopping' traffic order so that the police have greater powers."
A city council spokesman said: "We're happy to talk with the school to discuss possible improvements, such as bollards."
Comments
by Oh_come_on
Thursday, December 27 2012, 10:47PM
“by llamalamb Thursday, December 27 2012, 8:59PM
"I suppose walking their children to school is out of the question. They need the car to be able to get back home in time to see Jeremy Kyle."
Our alternatively, like myself and many other mums they need the car to get straight to work after dropping the kids off. I do not condone illegal our inconsiderate parking when dropping the kids off but not all parents use the car just because they are lazy”
by llamalamb
Thursday, December 27 2012, 8:59PM
“I suppose walking their children to school is out of the question.
They need the car to be able to get back home in time to see Jeremy Kyle.”
by Leicester01
Thursday, December 27 2012, 6:54PM
“On passing queensmead the other day there was a club taxi parked half on the pavement and have on the zig zags.....Heres a solution, Teachers watch the children being dropped off , then they contact the parent and ask them to come into school the following day, at the meeting they are told that if there child is dropped of on the zig zags again then they will be suspended for a day, how long before the parents get it !”
by Just_Saying
Thursday, December 27 2012, 3:23PM
“Thanks anyway.”
by C_G_Lee
Thursday, December 27 2012, 2:41PM
“Just_Saying, No, I've Googled it myself since my original post without much success. The law seems very wooly regarding the whole issue of zig-zags, but I have spoken to more than one serving police officer who have told me that school buses and mini buses are exempt.”
by Just_Saying
Thursday, December 27 2012, 12:06PM
“C_G_Lee - I've searched for 'evidence' of buses being exempt - any ideas where I might see this exemption in B&W please ??”
by Just_Saying
Thursday, December 27 2012, 10:46AM
“C_G_Lee - thats interesting - I didn't know school buses were exempt - I agree that is absolutely ludicrous. If its unsafe for cars to park on the zig-zag lines then its unsafe for buses. I in no way condone cars parking on the zig-zag lines but with laws like that I can see why car drivers might think its OK.
As cjt72 says, get some officers to impose some fines - that would go a long way to reducing the problem.”
by C_G_Lee
Thursday, December 27 2012, 10:12AM
“I collect my grandson from Great Dalby school every Tuesday afternoon and I have to say that the parking there is diabolical. There is a great big sign on the school wall telling people how dangerous it is to park on the zig-zag lines and yet the school bus and several mini buses are lined up all along the zig-zags, creating a serious hazard for children crossing the road.
Apparently these vehicles are exempt from the regulations, which to my mind is ludicrous, as the danger caused by a great big bus and two or three mini buses is far greater than that caused by small cars.”
by cjt72
Thursday, December 27 2012, 9:57AM
“Maybe the parking enforcement officers could be tasked with visiting every school in the city, prior to the start of school, and at home time. Might encourage some parents to think twice before endangering their own and other children”