We're in a parking war as we wait on yellow lines & residents' bays outside £4k a year school – but it's not our fault | The Sun

PARENTS who are locked in a bitter parking war with residents around their children's £4k school say it's are not their fault.

Double yellow lines marking the road outside Hollygirt School in Mapperly, Nottingham, are no deterrent for the caregivers dropping their kids off each day.

But pulling up on the side of the road to get their kids in and out of the school is creating narrow spaces for locals to pass by.

The limited number of parking spaces in the area is causing clashes between the neighbours and caregivers.

Parents needing to dash inside to make sure their kids are getting to class on time are resorting to taking resident permit holders only spaces.

Some lucky drivers may find a free parking bay, restricted to one hour, or have to pay in other spaces.

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The school, where fees range from £3,428 for reception to £4,509 for Years 10 and 11, have no option but to encourage parents to use the bus service.

New mum Lorna Raymond told The Sun Online she arrives half an hour early to try to secure a sought-after parking spot in the street and adjoining Cranmer Street or neighbouring Villa Road.

She said: “Parking here is a pain, with so few spaces for the sheer amount of children needing dropping off and collecting. There is no solution.

“Some of our children are young and need to be escorted in and out by parents. There is no car park to do this so we have to take pot luck ion the street.

“A lot of parents are upset and annoyed about the criticism that has been circulating locally about their poor parking but what are we meant to do?"

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Lorna says she comes straight from work at 3pm to wait until school finishes at 3.30pm for her nine-year-old son.

She said: "So far I’ve been lucky and have parked legally but other parents arriving later have to park on the kerg on double yellow lines and risk getting a ticket.”

Dad Michael Gem, seen parking on double yellow lines, said: “Where else am I meant to go? I stay in the car and wait for my 11-year-old son to come out and find me.

“It’s a first come first serve parking here and so far I’ve not got a ticket.”

Parents come into our private car park and use it with no consideration to the people living here. It is infuriating and at times I am blocked in

Another father picking up his two sons, aged six and eight, grumbled: “Parking is such an ordeal and it's hit and miss as to whether you get a place or not.

“Mostly I have to park on double yellows, as many others, and I think parking attendants turn a blind eye, although it could be fruitful for them.”

The dad said the council is aware of the problem and has questions over why the school was built in an area with such "inadequate" parking.

He said: "Every day parents are left in limbo not knowing if they can park legally and safely.”

'RIDICULOUS' ARGUMENTS

A fellow father told how he parked five minutes walk away “often in a resident’s space without a permit” and hoofed it up to the school because “you can never park right outside.”

One grandmother said the parking problems are "absolutely horrendous" – but it wasn't always like this.

The pensioner, who picks up her 12-year-old grandson whom her husband drops off, said: “The amount of arguments in this road is ridiculous.

“There are conflicting ‘give way to traffic’ signs which don't make sense and people get so irate by.

“We all have to park on yellow lines because there is nowhere else.”

She continued: “My grandson isn’t on a public transport route and can't walk in because we live on the other side of Nottingham nine miles away."

At time parking in "non-existent" she said because at times the whole road is closed off.

The woman continued: "Teachers have to physically bring children out to their parent, grand parents and carers in nearby streets.”

But some residents have little sympathy, saying their parks are often stolen and navigating the road become tricky.

'ABSOLUTE CHAOS'

Local man Peter Armitage slammed the car "parked up illegally on pavements”.

He says his route to and from work, along with many other motorists, is often blocked.

Peter, 63, who lives in a neighbouring road to the school premises in Elm Avenue – accessed only by foot down a leafy path leading to the tree obscured building – said: “It is absolute chaos, and also very dangerous.”

He told The Sun Online: “When I’m driving down the road, mostly around 8.45am, lots of parents are dropping their children off and are parked all over the place.

“The road narrows outside the entrance to the school with identical signs on opposing sides of the road and just feet apart saying ‘Give way to traffic.’

“It is the same sign and there is no clarity over who has the right away. Cars are parked up on the pavement on double and single lines and it is dangerous. 

“It is chaos in term times but I’ve not complained to the school. They are well aware of their problems parking is causing.”

Resident George Bukkos, 41, said: "Some cars block the way, it's dangerous.

“You see them parking on the double yellows so there's no clear view, and the school doesn't do anything. Parents should understand that it's not their private parking."

Another resident from a nearby apartment block opposite said she understands how parents hands may be tied but doesn't appreciate having to share.

The businesswoman said: “Parents come into our private car park and use it with no consideration to the people living here. It is infuriating and at times I am blocked in.

“But I feel a bit sorry for them because there is no parking, or very little, on the street for them and they park wherever, even in our own spaces. But what can we do? Not a lot, we have to put up with it."

Dr Helen Barsham, head of Hollygirt School, said they had been working with police and the local authority in desperate bid to resolve parking issues.

She reportedly said: "Like many schools, we are aware that parking during school pick-up and drop-off times can be frustrating for both parents and local residents. 

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"We ask and expect that all parents in the Hollygirt community are considerate of our neighbours during these busy times and encourage use of our shared school bus service, which covers a wide area of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

"The school has been proactive in liaising with our neighbours, our local police community support officer and the traffic management team at Nottingham City Council to resolve parking issues as they arise.”

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