Northampton headteacher calls for police spot checks to crack down on parents parking near school

The headteacher at a Northampton school has said she has tried everything to get a small number of parents to listen to safety advice when the school gates close at 3pm.

Renuka Popat, head at The Abbey Primary School on Winchester Road, is now asking for police help to tell parents where is safe to park when picking up their children, after some of her staff have been verbally abused when giving advice.

The Delapre headteacher of 14 years is fearful that if the police do not send PCSOs to make random spot checks when the school gates close, children could get hurt.

While the Chronicle & Echo interviewed the headteacher outside the school at pick up time on Wednesday (November 4) a delivery van had to reverse up Glastonbury Road as it could not make its way through.

Mrs Popat said: "We don't have any jurisdiction outside of the gates, so we are trying to get the message across with help from a PCSO.

"What I fear for is if any ambulance or fire engine wants to get through and they won't be able to.

"The majority of parents are really good and they park further away but it's the minority.

"We are asking people not to park on double yellow lines as it's an accident waiting to happen. That's what we all fear, a child being run over."

Mrs Popat has staggered the school opening and closing times for year groups to restrict the spread of coronavirus spreading between her 360 pupils.

She was hopeful this would limit the volume of parents driving to school at once, but it's had minimal impact, as some parents continue to ignore double yellow lines and park on blind corners.

The Highway Code, section 243, forbids motorists stopping near a school entrance and waiting or parking on yellow lines during times listed on a nearby signpost.

She added: "Residents have phoned to say people have parked across my drive, they need to go for a urgent hospital appointment and they can't go anywhere.

"We do everything we can but it's an ongoing battle here for 14 years."

Parent Tracy Hodgkiss added: "It's inconsiderate for residents and for other parents who are picking their children up.

"They are physically blocking roads sometimes because of terrible parking."

Another parent, Chris Barker, added: "From my point of view, it's the safety of the kids more than anything.

"The zebra crossing is meant to be a safe haven for them but the amount of people I have seen walking out in the the road because pedestrians can't see vehicles coming, it's an accident waiting to happen."

Councillor Julie Davenport (Ind, Delapre and Briar Hill) said: "The thing is, this isn't an isolated case, parking like this happens at most schools.

"It's just so dangerous and some children walk home by themselves.

"We are trying to engage with the Chief Constable to do spot checks and ask PCSOs to come and talk to parents because if the staff come out they get abuse."