SIR, — I am writing in a strong appeal to the significant minority of parents and carers at Goosehill School, Morpeth, who insist upon parking on the double yellow lines outside of the school and mounting the pavement to park; tonight there was a line of at least 20 cars causing congestion and chaos.
It also has to be said that the same people do this day after day at drop off and pick up time. As well as being illegal this parking is also downright dangerous and, to be frank, selfish and lazy.
In the past couple of weeks it has caused:
• M
yself and a fellow parent having to push our children against a wall as a car mounted the pavement to get past parked cars.
• A car stopping dead in front of me to park on double yellows nearly causing a collision. I politely challenged the driver but she seemed outraged that I challenged her 'right' to park where she wanted.
• Another parent having to take evasive action to avoid his children being injured by a car mounting a pavement.
• A visually impaired person having to risk his safety by walking in the road to avoid banging into cars parked up on the pavement.
• A boy narrowly avoiding being hit by a car reversing literally outside the school gates.
I know that the school is trying its best by putting out appeals in the newsletter but to no avail. Similarly, traffic wardens (when they are there) seem to have limited effect.
Some people obviously think they are invisible and even when the authorities are there they can park as close to the school as humanly possible.
Will it take an injury to a child or, heaven forbid, worse before people realise the irresponsibility of their actions and push themselves to walk a few hundred extra yards and ensure the health and safety of their fellow parents and their children?
Please find a legal and safe parking space and stop putting us all at risk.
CLAIRE DOUGLASS
Parent
Morpeth
