A BATTLE between parents taking their children to school and residents living in a Leigh street came to a head after a woman blocked a bus and refused to move.

The incident, captured here on camera, saw the woman have to be spoken to by police before she let the bus past in Manchester Drive.

Residents of the road are fed up with parents taking children to and from Darlinghurst Primary School using their road as a car park.

Parking restrictions have been put in outside the school in Pavilion Drive to keep children safe, but it is forcing parents to park in areas where there are no double yellow lines, such as part of Manchester Drive.

An increase in pupil numbers at the popular school has also made the problem worse.

Paula Hooper, 53, who lives in the road, said: “The mums park here all the time. One lady was verbally abused because her father needed an ambulance and it couldn’t get through. It had to park round the corner in the end. They don’t care.

“It’s just going to get worse because I think they have more pupils coming in. You can’t come home at certain times and the other day a bus got stuck. The driver just wouldn’t move until a policeman told her to.

“We’ve had dust carts wedged between two cars and we’ve had police called. They police tell them they are parked illegally even though there are no lines because they are causing an obstruction, but they take no notice.”

Another resident, Peter Lynham, 55, said: “After the parking restrictions went in back in October outside the school they all just park here.

“There is a gap of about 150ft where there are no double yellow lines. All we want is for them to be joined up so no one can park there.

“We hope our petition, which has about 40 names, will be presented to the new council at its first meeting. We’re not asking a lot from them, but something needs to be done.”

Dawn Tillett, 46, who also lives in Manchester Drive, added: “It is getting absolutely ridiculous.

There is a disabled lady down the road who can’t park outside her home.”

James Courtney, Conservative councillor for Blenheim Ward, sympathises with residents. He said: “I am happy for double yellow lines to be considered, but they could be an issue for other residents who might have visitors.

“Other solutions might be single yellow lines or parking restrictions at certain hours in the morning and afternoon.

“It is only a few parents that cause all the problem. People are entitled to park where they like, but not if they are blocking people’s driveways.”

 

HEADTEACHER URGES PARENTS TO PARK CONSIDERATELY

THE headteacher of Darlinghurst Primary School said she is working with residents to find ways to solve the parking problems in nearby roads.

Nicky Patrick has spoken to unhappy residents and written to all parents through the school’s newsletter urging them to be considerate to neighbours and to not block garages or driveways.

She also backs the installation of parking restrictions in the affected streets.

She said: “In order to maintain our relationship with local residents and protect the safety of our families we would support any additional measures and restrictions.

“We understand many of our families have no option but to drive to school due to the distance from their homes, however we would urge parents to park legally and safely even if that means a short walk back to the school to pick up or drop off their children”