Plea for action on ‘dangerous’ school parking
FURIOUS residents have demanded action after motorists continue to ignore requests to stop parking dangerously outside their homes.
They say that while some of the parking is merely inconsiderate and annoying, much of it is dangerous as it involves cars being parked on Link Road’s junction with Luck Lane – directly opposite Huddersfield Grammar School.
This means motorists are unable to see properly as they turn into Luck Lane, Paddock, and Link Road.
The problems have increased to such an extent that a protest meeting was recently held between Link Road and Gorse Road residents, a member of Kirklees Council Highways Department and Greenhead councillors to see what can be done.
Amanda Baxter, a teacher, who is spearheading the campaign and who has had a petition signed by more than 60 residents, said: “I have lived here for eight-and-a-half years and it has got progressively worse.
“Everyone round here wants permit parking to be introduced but it doesn’t seem like that is going to happen.
“There is parking chaos, bottlenecks every drop off/pick-up time plus parents’ evenings and school events in evenings.
”There are regular accidents on the junction as people try to pull out of Link Road, as cars parked right on the junction cause cars to have to pull out into oncoming traffic.
“On the day of the meeting, residents spoke passionately about the arrogance and rudeness of some parents’ parking. They have been told on more than one occasion that they can’t park outside their home because ‘that is where I park to pick my son/daughter up’.
“There has even been at least one instance of a Huddersfield Grammar School parent parking on a resident’s drive and telling the homeowner : ‘I only popped into school for a minute.’
“Parents regularly park from 2.30pm onwards and sit texting with engines running, polluting the air.
“The headmaster told me initially it was ‘not within my remit to enforce parking etiquette.’”
Headmaster Michael Seaton said: “Huddersfield Grammar School takes the views of local residents very seriously and continues to extend invitations for members of the community to meet with us in school whenever concerns are raised.
“The school has responded to its unprecedented success in recent years by further enlarging its car parking capacity, introducing a home-toschool transport service, adding a drop-off zone, creating two pedestrian entrances and working with the local authority to successfully appoint a school crossing patrol officer last year.
“While the school has no jurisdiction over the use of public roads outside of the school site, we continue to do all we can to be supportive of the wider community.”
Greenhead Labour councillor Sheikh Ullah said: “This has been an ongoing problem for a number of years and residents are really fed up and just ask the school and the parents to take some action.
“Once someone is hurt the clock can’t be pulled back.”
A Kirklees Council spokesman said: “Anyone who drives or parks irresponsibly is potentially endangering lives.
“It’s vitally important that people park in a way which is sensible, safe and does not put pedestrians or road users at risk.
“We are aware of car parking issues in this area and, as a result, we are looking into those concerns.
“We would also remind drivers that they have a responsibility to park carefully at all times.”