Stop crazy school parking now!
DANGEROUS drivers are causing chaos outside a school in Up Hatherley despite measures to curb the problem being agreed nine months ago.
Gloucestershire Highways pledged to create a 'safety zone' outside Lakeside Primary School in Hatherley Road to protect pupils in July.
-
speaking out: Alison Johnson, left, with her children Chloe, five, and Mimi, seven, and Christine Millard with grandson Elliot, nine
But a backlog of work which was caused by the winter cold snap means council staff have still not painted yellow lines either side of the traffic lights.
The move is designed to stop motorists parking haphazardly outside the school and blocking other drivers' view of youngsters as they go past.
Parent Patricia Smith, who has two children at Lakeside, said cars often speed along Hatherley Road in the morning.
"I drive two miles to get here every day because it is a good school," she said.
"But I can sit in my parked car and feel it shake as others go past. It is quite dangerous."
Another parent, who did not wish to be named, said: "It would be a good idea to cut down the amount of cars.
"Children are crossing the road and I think a lot of the time the drivers just can't see them."
Members of Up Hatherley Parish Council's highways group originally proposed the changes after complaints from motorists.
They claimed that some parents were parking dangerously at the start and also end of the school day.
Other measures in the 'safety zone' which have already been installed include a traffic island and a narrowing of the road at the junction of Caernarvon Road and Hatherley Road to reduce congestion.
The yellow lines were supposed to be installed before the start of the school year in September but have been delayed ever since.
Stephen Burden, from Gloucestershire Highways, said: "The difficult weather conditions this winter have created a backlog of lining work.
"We are currently preparing the area and the new yellow lines will be added in the next four weeks, weather permitting.
"Adding these waiting restrictions outside the school and on Wards Road will prevent people parking there at the start and end of the school day, improving safety and visibility.
"This is part of a wider safety scheme in the area around Lakeside."
5 Comments
by Soapbox, Cheltenham
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 10:51PM
“To Andrew of Tewkesbury - most of the children attending the local school live in the catchment area, parents still drive them to the door even those living on the next street!”
by parent of children at lakeside school, cheltenham
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 1:44PM
“I have 2 children who attend Lakeside school.
We catch a bus to and from the school as well as alot of other parents and children. Sometimes I have had 2 stand in the middle of the road risking my life to get the bus to stop, on many occassions we have been stood at the bus stop and buses hav drove straight past due to them not being able to stop.
All the cars that are parked outside causing nuisance is the parents dropping and picking their children up from school. So if the parents were to walk their child/ren to school as many of them live locally, this problem would be resolved.”
by Andrew Oakley, Tewkesbury
Wednesday, March 17 2010, 9:11AM
“Here's an idea. Charge fees to attend any school other than your geographically nearest one. Problem solved.”
by Soapbox, Cheltenham
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 10:29PM
“Think of all the parking problems and then squeeze them into a Close, add a Headmaster that 'is bored' of asking parents not to drive up the road, sprinkle on the same parents who turn up 45 minutes early and then wait for an accident - oh yes, we've already had several of them and still nothing changes!”
by me, home
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 6:32PM
“its not just your school that has that problem you should see christ collage, at home time, you cant get your car on your drive, cars park on the corner so you cant see around the corner, parking on the pavemeant, so ladys find it hard to push there prams. this goes on to all schools, not just yours.”