Parking row erupts as residents clash with school over space shortage

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents in Cardiff are angry about the state of parking on their street, which they claim is being made worse by staff from a local school.

People living in Moorland Road in Splott claim they are unable to park in front of their homes due to staff from Moorland Primary School parking on the street during the day.

This is despite the school having a rear car park that backs onto Moorland Road.

Local resident Ian Watkins, 66, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The parking can be horrendous on the streets. Residents, aged and with mobility issues, are struggling.”

He continued: “There’s a perfectly good new car park that’s been constructed which is just not used.

“Predominately, it’s the staff in the street during the day…but during drop-off and pickup times, the traffic here can be horrendous.

“I’m very frustrated, along with my neighbours.”

Another resident, Rebbecca Wise, 29, told the LDRS: “It’s ridiculous how busy it can get… there’s not enough spaces for everyone”

She continued: “If you’ve got staff parking here, they’ll park outside and they’ll be here all day.

“I know we don’t own the spaces [Moorland Road is a public road] but if they’ve parked all along [Moorland Road], that means we have nowhere and we live here. So it can be quite frustrating that there’s literally nowhere to park.”

Parking on Moorland Road is already limited due to yellow zig-zag lines and disabled bays, so residents say that school staff taking up the little amount of space available is incredibly frustrating.

Statement 

In a joint statement from the school and Cardiff Council, a spokesperson said: “The school operates with front and rear car parks, both of which are heavily used to support essential daily activity.”

They continued: “The front car park is fully utilised by staff, while the rear car park has a number of designated disabled spaces and is required for taxi and minibus drop‑offs for pupils attending from across the city, as well as maintaining clear access for emergency services if required.

“In addition, external organisations access the site daily, and neighbouring community facilities such as The Old Library host regular events that can also increase parking demand in the area.

“The school actively encourages sustainable travel, with many staff walking or cycling to work and making good use of the bike sheds.

“Staff are asked to use available parking spaces responsibly and to avoid obstructing safety access routes at all times.

“The school values its relationship with local residents and the wider community and remain committed to working constructively with residents and partners to balance community concerns with the safe operation of the school.”