Furious residents have forced their local council to perform a u-turn on parking after they barricaded their street with garden chairs in protest at school run traffic chaos.
Residents of cul de sac took matters into their own hands and formed a barricade on their street four weeks ago to prevent parents from parking on their driveways after the council closed the local school’s drop-off zone.
The Council's decision to close the drop off zone at Brynmenyn primary school in Bridgend, Wales, in December due to safety concerns had left many parents looking for alternative parking options - leaving some nearby streets clogged with cars during the school run.
At the time, the Council said that an assessment by council officers revealed multiple incidents of vehicles making dangerous manoeuvres, travelling at speed, blocking or not using parking bays correctly, and ignoring instructions from officers on site, so the drop-off zone was closed.
But residents in the Lon Derw cul de sac claim those now parking in the street during school times have damaged cars and fences and pose a safety risk to children, as well as reportedly blocking an ambulance trying to reach a care home in the area, Wales Online reports.
One resident, Jessica Upham, said: "All the driveways are getting blocked we can't get to one from them.
"There's been near misses with children walking to and from school.
“People have been parking on our driveways, all the grass has been turned up, they’ve damaged cars, fences, drains have all been lifted.
“People can’t pass on the pavement with babies and prams.
“I take my kids [to] school late now so that I haven't got to walk through all the hassle over the cars.
“It's been reported to the council, the ombudsman, the police, the local councillor has been informed.”
Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) yesterday announced that they will reopen the drop off zone at Brynmenyn Primary School in Ynysawdre following the residents’ protests.
Officers at BCBC met earlier this month with school representatives, the chair of governors of the school governing body and elected members of the council to discuss the closure and its impact on pupils, parents and carers.
Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration, Cllr Charles Smith, said: “These updated arrangements will be closely monitored and, if the risk becomes too great, the local authority will not hesitate to put further restrictions in place.
“The situation is not an easy one to manage, and pupil safety remains our number one priority, one which quite rightly takes precedence over all other considerations.
“I would like to thank parents and carers for their patience while we have worked on a solution to the issues experienced with the drop-off areas at Brynmenyn Primary School, Pencoed Primary School and Coleg Cymunedol y Dderwen.
“I know that the schools will be grateful for the support of parents and carers in this matter, and I would ask that all those who are arriving by car to please ensure that they drive safely, take other road users into consideration, follow any instructions from staff and officers, and treat them and others with respect.”
