Reduced street parking rankles parents
Parents are calling time on their daily battle for car parks close to an Auckland school.
Auckland Transport’s (AT) introduction of two new bus stops at Ellerslie School has been met with a backlash from some parents.
Natalie Loraine and Shay Clark are unhappy about the Kalmia St bus stop layout changes. In late October the bus stops replaced parking spaces on the street, previously used by parents dropping off and collecting children from Ellerslie School. ‘‘The traffic congestion in our street was bad before these stops went in but now the bus stops have replaced the street parking, it’s complete chaos for parents,’’ Clark says.
‘‘Parents would like a drop off/ drive through zone put in place in conjunction with giving us our car parks back on the street,’’ she says.
The bus stops have taken up about eight to 10 of the car parks within walking distance to school, Loraine says. ‘‘That has left us with approximately 10 car parks for a school of 732 children,’’ she says.
AT spokesperson Mark Hannan says the TravelWise programme is aiming to reduce the number of vehicles at the school gate. ‘‘Encouraging more children to travel by bus helps in this regard.’’
However, Loraine says businesses based on Kalmia Street monopolise street parking. ‘‘The afternoon is beyond ridiculous, you have to be driving around trying to find a car park 30 - 40 minutes before school finishes to even stand a chance of getting a park,’’ Loraine says
AT Metro Network development manager Anthony Cross says AT is aware of the issues relating to traffic congestion on trustees. ‘‘I am meeting with AT, and we continue to work with the police, the Ellerslie Business Association and AT to achieve positive outcomes for the school community,’’ Harland says.
An AT representative will be attending a meeting at the school in November.