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This thread Is not about me folks but I believe an Interesting Insight Into how some people behave....

I have written threads on this before but It looks like I can now put to bed this particular Issue In my life...

Story In brief.

A Primary school was built at the end of a dead end Cul-De-Sac 30 years after residential houses were built, Pupil Intake was 60 pupils.

Over the years, especially recently, the school, expanded and diversified adding Sunday swimming lessons, a new Nursery for 2 to 4 year olds and private lettings In the evenings. Extra class rooms have been built and next September with extra pupil Intake, the number of pupils will stand at 480.

What did not change one Iota was any parking for parents and The CDS became gridlock every school day.

My worst experience and one of the most disgusting things I have ever witnessed In my life was one day we came out of our lane to find the usual gridlock and as we were stuck, witnessed the whole sorry event. Half way up the Close an elderly resident In his 80's had, had a stroke. The ambulance could not physically get further than the entrance of the Close because of parent cars Ignoring the " No vehicle access to school " sign and parked up half on the pavement. The old man had to be stretchered out by paramedics between parents moving cars. Worse, far worse was the parents still trying to get Into the Close who upon seeing the ambulance, did not reverse away but continued to come In behind the ambulance. One woman even mounted the pavement and drove around the ambulance. It took a good 20 minutes for the ambulance to get everything to back up the next road so they could get on their way.

I did a questionaire of the 28 residents that showed since the expansion of the school:

All and every resident owning a car had, had at least a ding.

Three cars had been written off by parents hitting their cars when reversing Into their drives, one of which mine. All were hit and runs.

Every resident had at some point been bloced In or out of their homes by parents blocking drives and blocking dropped kerbs.

Four residents had parents parking on their drives.

Every resident at some point had been subjected to frustrated, angry foul mouthed abuse by a parent.

One resident was assaulted resulting In a parent being arrested.

Two residents cats had been killed.

Fences, posts and even concrete bollards had been damaged by reversing parent cars.

More later.... coffee.

With further pupil Intakes proposed, something had to be done.

Residents told me I was wasting my time as they had been complaining for years, so I got the big guns on side first. Conservative Councillor, Labour Councillor and Conservative MP, my old mate Skidders :-4

We formed a Committe but most Importantly we also listened to the parents frustrated at no-where to park.

Two years later, we had achieved the following after much consultation with the school, Highways and Byways, Street care.

New Pedestrian Crossing Installed on the main road for parents who claimed they drove their children to school because of the danger of crossing the road.

New Zebra crossing at the top of the school on another main road.

An area of the field next to the school given up for a car park for additional parking spaces for parents. A new path created from that car park direct Into the school.

Proposals agreed to create a new footpath from another road to spread parent cars over 3 area's...In process.

In the Cul-De-Sac, a new Grasscrete parking area for resident parking only.

Yellow Zig Zags with clear markings of No parking and no waiting.

A Turning round area In the Close for emergency vehicles.

Independant surveys by the Council and the school put the amount of parents driving children to school at an average of 80 percent.

Did all these measures stop parents trying to come Into a dead end to get as near to the school gates as possible Instead of using the new car park ?

NO

They continued.

They parked on the residents small parking area. They parked In the turning around bay. They parked on pavements forcing young Mums with Buggies out Into the road. They parked dangerously on Grass verge at the end of the Close obstructing drivers view both sides In fact making things more dangerous for children on foot.

The head Teacher removed herself from the Committe after howls of mockery when she stated " If the residents hired garages In the next road, It would free up more space In the Close".

Solution ?

This week, I had my wish... The Council double Yellowed the lot and huge signs put In place stating No waiting.... With presence of Traffic Wardens.

The day after they went In this week, It was utter chaos out there....

I know a little of your dilemma. I live in a small village that has a Primary School. Its been there a long time. Founded in the 17th century, its an "unashamedly Christian School" with some very un-christian parents, most of which live outside the village who will park anywhere and everywhere with little consideration to the local residents.

It isn't as bad as your experience but very annoying nonetheless. I sympathise. Many of them just do not give a damn

Snowfire;1424363 wrote: I know a little of your dilemma. I live in a small village that has a Primary School. Its been there a long time. Founded in the 17th century, its an "unashamedly Christian School" with some very un-christian parents, most of which live outside the village who will park anywhere and everywhere with little consideration to the local residents.

It isn't as bad as your experience but very annoying nonetheless. I sympathise. Many of them just do not give a damn


Thing Is, at all of our Committee meetings and even the speech I gave to a full Council chambers, I have defended and empathised with the frustration of the parents and this Is why It was never one sided. The Introduction of the new car park exclusively for parents, the new pedestrian crossing and the new zebra crossing at great expense, has been for the parents not the residents. When we proposed the car park, the Conservative Councillor was deeply opposed at losing green space and we talked him round.

Double yellow lines ? Seriously? What else was there to do ?

A few weeks ago we had a public meeting with residents In the other road where the new proposed footpath Is being created. I'm going to write a further view of the behaviour of some people at that meeting when viewing plans for the site. Absolutely Unbelievable !!!!

So a few weeks ago I went to the public meeting for residents on the West side of the school to view the plans for the brand new Footpath being Installed In weeks to come.

More Interesting human nature. Bearing In mind, This side of the school has not been affected by parent parking for the last 30 years.

It was me that was on the receiving end of much wrath.

They were out In force, mostly retired people.

These were some of their objections:

" Hang on... that means that parents will be parking In our road In order to use the footpath.

Yes, we are trying to spread the load of traffic 3 ways.

Well, I'm not having people parking outside my house.

I'm sorry, but It's a public road and they can park where they like, besides, your road has 4 other entrance/exits that will keep the traffic flowing Instead of coming Into a dead end.

Well, make them park In ***** Road, some of those are Council houses and we own our houses.

We need to keep that road free flowing for emergency services.

Well, we're not having It. You've got your on way In the Close with yellow lines.

Yes, after 30 years.

And these extra classrooms for additional pupil Intake, I'm not having them at the rear of my house as It will ruin our view.

That's the best place for them.

Put them behind The *********

And ruin the view of residents In The *******

This is absolutely disgusting.

We are trying to find compromise and solutions to benefit all.

Move the School.

Build another school.

Turn the green space In the South side another car park.

Unbelievable,

Oscar

many of our schools have the same problem

you don't dare try some roads unless you plan on sitting & sitting &...

Lines of cars up - down and around

I usually say - don't kids walk to & from school anymore? apparently not.

I'm one of those stories I walked miles etc... I did walk miles rain or shine.

by the looks of all the vehicles - it would be faster if the kids would walk.

Patsy

Oh and In the midst of all this....

Head Teacher and myself with Council planning department on a site Inspection for new build classrooms.

Me... So, I trust you have carried out and completed an Inviromental Impact survey by the correct department ?

No, we don't have to.

I think you'll find you do have to when building on previous unbuilt land.

It doesn't matter.

Yes, It does, you have Fox earths In the school grounds.

No we don't.

Yes, you do, I can show the evidence of where I have tracked them on Google earth.

Well It doesn't matter anyway because they are Vermin.

Excuse me !!!!

Thus to say, new classrooms are not being built near the Fox earths.

So what have I learnt from the past two Years?

1) Some people don't give a toss weather anyone dies when emergency services can't get to a resident quickly enough as long as they can park as near to school gates as possible.

2) No amount of money spent by the Council will entice parents to use a new car park because the walk from the car park Is a fraction longer than The Close.

3) Some parents who stated their children don't walk to school because of the main roads, continue to drive and do not use the new pedestrian crossings.

4) Other residents don't give a hoot about residents of the other side of the school providing parents don't park In their road.

And now they are wailing about the double yellow lines.