ROAD RAGE: Parents and teachers from St Mary's RC Combined School in Poole are angry over proposed parking changes

A PRIMARY school says children's safety will be put at risk by a council's plan to ban parents parking in surrounding streets.

The driveway in front of St Mary's Catholic First School in Devon Road, Poole, used to be a congested nightmare for parents in the morning and afternoon.

It became clear that having dozens of cars winding their way through the cul de sac dropping off children was causing delays and obstructions and was an accident waiting to happen.

When a child was lightly hit by a wing mirror one morning, the school decided something had to be done.

Assistant head Phil Bevan said: "We banned cars circulating in front of the school.

"Instead, parents parked in nearby streets and walked their children to school. There were really no objections - they found themselves socialising more and getting a bit of exercise. It worked like a dream."

But now the Borough of Poole is planning to stop parking in Pound Lane, which is used by many parents, during school-run hours.

Mr Bevan said: "That will make it very hard for us to operate. We will have to go back to cars in front of the school, putting children at risk and returning to all the things we've been trying to avoid."

Terri Stace, mother of a child at the school, said: "It's a religious school with a wide catchment area. I have a 20-minute drive every morning, so it's not like we could walk.

"It's going to be very dangerous for the children to go back to the snarl-up they had before. I don't know what the council are thinking."

But the council says the heavy parking in Pound Lane has led to complaints from residents and school coaches.

Cllr Ron Parker said: "The coaches are sometimes unable to get to the coach stand to pick up the children.

"We are suggesting yellow lines to keep the junctions clear and keep parking to one side of the road.

"We are trying reach a compromise that satisfies both local residents and school parents and the proposals are currently being advertised to allow the public to comment on them."

Any views should be sent to the council as soon as possible. They will be considered by the transportation advisory group on January 18 2007.

12:43pm Monday 27th November 2006

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