Parents told ‘walk with your kids’ as dangerous parking outside school slammed

A concerned dad shared photos of the ‘ridiculous and dangerous’ parking outside his daughter’s primary school

‘Absurd and hazardous’ parking outside a Liverpool primary school could result in ‘tragedy’. The ECHO published photos last week showing the extent to which ‘selfish and lazy’ parents are endangering children by consistently blocking pavements and roads near Hunts Cross Primary School in south Liverpool.

Liverpool Echo readers have been having their say on the issue, with many saying they think children should be walking to school. Bryan Hetherington, a concerned resident and parent, shared images with the ECHO, expressing his growing frustration and anger over the chaotic parking situation..

Mr Hetherington said: “These pictures showing the ridiculous and dangerous parking directly opposite the school entrance, parents speed up and down the road, block drive ways, park in resident’s spaces, park illegally and dangerously on double yellow lines and at the corners of junctions and directly opposite the school entrance.

“The school is doing its best and has written to parents but these messages are always ignored. I know a lot of these people and they actually live in Hunts Cross, so there is no need for them to even drive their kids to school. There is also an area nearby that could be easily used for parking but these people are too lazy and just don’t care.”

Liverpool City Council has pledged action against hazardous pavement parking, which has emerged as a significant problem across the city. In January, the council adopted a new parking strategy designed to address this issue more effectively.

Commenter Fibonacci says: “And I’ll bet approximately 90% of parents live within a half mile walking distance and radius from the school. That’s certainly the data at my wife’s school. It works like this; get up fifteen minutes earlier, enjoy the fifteen minute walk with your kids when you can have a chat. The kids burn off some breakfast calories too, and (there and back) walk a mile a day helping build stamina and endurance.”

Lovehandles1 agrees: “Same thing outside our local primary school. LCC, the Police and the school have been told repeatedly for a number of years without remedy. It is simply a matter of time until a tragedy happens. Apparently, LCC have plans in place which were supposed to have been implemented around Xmas 2024. Still waiting at the time of writing, no consultation having taken place with local residents. This council, who we will be paying more for, is a complete joke.”

Cobrakai1 writes: “We have a parking warden outside our school in Knowsley which has fixed the parking problem. However the other problem is cars doing 50-60 in a 20mph zone. When the council were asked for traffic management they replied that there hasn’t been enough accidents or children injured to authorise speed control. I’m more worried about that than the parking.”

Pensioner2023 says: “This happens daily outside every school in Liverpool. The Police and Council are fully aware of it and their solution is to put up posters. What is needed is double red lines outside schools, heavier fines, tow zones and vehicle impounding if fines are not paid.”

Littlenit asks: “Where are the traffic wardens? They’re everywhere in town! Start ticketing parents, enforce it, do it every day and it will soon stop. Get out of bed earlier, leave home earlier, park legally and walk with your kids. it’s all fine and dandy until something tragic happens and it’s your little one, just to save a 5/10mins walk which will do them good.”

Fanga remembers: “In the 70’s and 80’s parents walked with their children to school and the senior school kids walked and got on buses. Most of us back then were a healthy weight, the lazy idle attitudes of adults now, who won’t walk anywhere shows in their health. Stop the unlawful parking and get walking.”

Theoap writes: “St Paul’s in West Derby is an absolute nightmare with certain parents parking fully on the pavements. Traffic wardens are a joke, not seen outside of the city centre in the last decade.”

Chatrage suggests: “How about making somewhere for parents to park instead of calling for more taxes in the way of fines? Or make a drop off system like American schools? But oh no don’t invest, let’s just take people’s money off them!”

How do you feel about this issue, should parent parking be provided or should children be walking to school? Have your say in our comments section.