A LOCAL mum is calling on Alton's newly-appointed traffic warden to "get her priorities right" and put the safety of children first when it comes to patrolling the town's parking hot-spots.
But both the traffic warden and the police insist – whilst they are prepared, if necessary, to enforce the heavy arm of the law – parents themselves must take more responsibility for the safety of their own and other people's children by not obstructing the school entrance during school hours.
It is a thorny issue and one with which Alton County Infants School has been grappling with for many years.
Amongst those spearheading the road safety campaign is Sally Cox, whose second child now attends the school. She and others have been fighting for some time to effect improvements at the rear entrance to the school in Victoria Road.
Whilst pleased to hear that Victoria Road is now included in the traffic warden's beat, Mrs Cox believes that children's lives are still being put at risk by motorists who insist on parking on the zigzag section opposite the school entrance and on the yellow lines which skirt the junction of Youngs Road with Victoria Road.
"I have spoken to the traffic warden about this problem and asked if she could patrol the school entrance at setting down and picking up times, only to be told that the safety of children is the responsibility of the parents.
"While I accept this argument, I believe it would still be useful to have a presence from time to time to deter people from parking too close to the school entrance," said Mrs Cox who was also told that it is not an offence to park on the zigzag markings unless you are causing an obstruction.
Mrs Cox points out that if cars are parked on the zigzag then it makes it almost impossible for other vehicles to pass in what is a particularly narrow road, and particularly to access or leave the Youngs Road junction – a manoeuvre made even more difficult if cars are also parked on the yellow lines.
As well as urging Hampshire County Council to re-paint the faded road markings so that they become more obvious, Mrs Cox would like to see more positive action taken to discourage cars from parking too close to the school gates According to Mrs Cox, the Highway Code itself prohibits motorists from waiting or parking in areas where there are markings on the carriageway at the entrance to a school.
"In addition, the Theory Test Companion makes it crystal clear that drivers should not wait or park on yellow lines outside a school because, in the interests of safety, a clear view of the crossing area is needed by drivers using the road and by pedestrians on the pavement," she adds.
There is concern also that motorists parked on the zigzag prohibit entrance to the school by fire engines and in an emergency would have to be shunted out of the way in order to gain access.
So concerned is the school by this cavalier attitude by some motorists that it has crafted its own notices pointing out to drivers that they are parked irresponsibly and that they are causing a problem for the safety of school children.
Like Sally Cox, head teacher Margaret Rees is anxious to get the road safety message across: "Our biggest problem is that we lost our school crossing patrol officer over two years ago and although Hampshire County Council has been advertising, we have been unable to replace him," said Mrs Rees.
"For us it is really a Catch 22 situation. Victoria Road is a narrow street and residents park on one side which at busy times results in congestion. This is exacerbated by people parking on the zigzag area and, to be honest, they are generally parents dropping off or waiting for their children, but it makes it really difficult for children trying to cross the road.
"This wouldn't be such a problem if we had a lollipop person or if the traffic warden would pop along from time to time to act as a deterrent."
In commenting on the situation, Alton Inspector Steve Mote said that while his traffic warden could patrol the area, the fear is that she could then be blamed if an accident happened at a time when she was unable to be there. The onus, he said, had to be on the parents to take responsibility for their own actions and he advised the school to send regular letters to parents, reminding them of this fact.
"The bottom line is that motorists will incur a £30 fine if they are found to be causing an obstruction by parking in an irresponsible manner," said Inspector Mote,"but I would prefer for parents to take it upon themselves to put the safety of the children first.
"If they have to park and walk for ten minutes to get to the school surely that is better than being the cause of an accident involving a child?"