A roads boss was "appalled" after a parent said she didn't care about getting a parking ticket for illegally parking by a school because she could afford to pay the fine. An Essex highways chief said he witnessed a parent parking dangerously outside a school, who told him she didn't care about getting a ticket because she could afford it.
Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council cabinet member for highways, said many irresponsible and selfish drivers needed to alter their mindset if children were to be guaranteed safety outside their school. Councillor Scott told the place services and economic growth committee on November 17 that while the council was trying to improve streets affected by picking and dropping off congestion, parents also needed to shoulder their part by parking and driving responsibly, Essex Live has reported.
His own experience of how widespread illegal parking is comes after he confronted one mother while making a visit to one school last week he chose not to name. He said: “While we were there I approached a lady who was collecting her child from school and had decided to park a 4x4 literally on the corner of the junction.
“So I approached her and said 'firstly do you realise you're illegally parked and secondly children are walking here and this isn't safe'. And I was appalled because her comment was ‘I don't care if I get a ticket I can afford it and I don't care about anyone other than picking up my child now’.
