Residents trapped in homes by school-run parking chaos, locals claim

Twm Owen – Local democracy reporter

Residents living near a primary school say parking pressures mean they are unable to leave their homes at school drop off and collection times.

They have also reported aggressive and anti-social behaviour due to tensions as cars cram the narrow single lane cul-de-sac that wraps around the school.

Caroline Knowles, whose home is opposite the school and where parents wait to collect their children, said: “It affects our daily lives because we can’t leave home at certain times of the day as we know we won’t be able to go out or get back.

“They just park anywhere they want and up on the pavement and run their engines in the winter for sometimes half an hour, so much for the children’s health, and in the summer they are running their air-con and you’ve got a lot of parents that play their music at a fair rate of decibels.”

Mrs Knowles, whose home on Hillcrest in New Inn, Pontypool overlooks New Inn Primary, said she is also annoyed when people say she shouldn’t have bought a house next to a school: “I didn’t. My father built this house and I’ve lived here since 1960.

“Come August, when the school is closed for the holidays, it’s wonderful we can go out any time we like.”

There are already single yellow lines throughout the cul-de-sac meaning no parking or waiting is allowed between 8.30 and 9.30am and from 3-4pm from September 1 to July 31.

Torfaen Borough Council has now produced five maps of new and amended restrictions to resolve complaints around parking. which it is asking residents to vote on.

Debbie Powell, who said she’d attended two meetings which resulted in the council drawing up the plans, said: “The parking is a bit of a pain for most people and at school times it really is dreadful.

“People can be so aggressive I got told by one to p*** off, and at the meeting people said their driveways have been blocked or they’ve had to ask people to move so they can get out.”

Keith Cripwell bought his house opposite the school in January said he and wife Kay, had already completed the council survey: “We did it online but I don’t know what difference it will make?

“We know there was a school and it is really quite lovely it’s just the parking is an issue and we didn’t realise it was perhaps quite as much of a problem as it is. Some days are not so bad but Fridays are the worst.”

Mrs Cripwell said the whole road can be blocked with parents waiting to collect their children making it difficult for residents to access their own driveways: “It’s quite a narrow road and they park all the way up the hill and there’s no consideration for other people.”

She said she thought the only thing the council can do is to put a traffic warden on patrol to enforce the existing restriction.

Richard Roberts, who also lives opposite the school, currently has a skip on part of his driveway, and while his children only have to walk across the road said: “I understand people have to get their kids to school but if I came home at around 3pm it’s a nightmare to try and park.”

Other residents said cars waiting near the school gates, which have a sign stating parking is for staff only, reduces visibility for drivers and is a danger to pedestrians including children.

Torfaen Borough Council is running its consultation on the five maps it has produced showing the proposed changes, including a new no waiting restriction at Hillcrest’s junction with Jersualem Lane until Tuesday, May 26.

One option includes the complete removal of a no waiting restriction, at all times, throughout Hillcrest.