Parents face parking ban on Wolverhampton school road
Plans for new rules banning parents from parking on a busy road close to a city school are being submitted to highways bosses.
A large number of cars park in Malins Road, Wolverhampton close to St Teresa's Catholic Primary Academy at the beginning and end of the school day.
And due to the narrow width of the road, many vehicles park both on and off the pavement - blocking the footpath and forcing parents and children to walk in the road.
Parents and teachers at the school have raised concerns over the safety of pupils on the busy street, where there are currently no parking restrictions, other than the school zigzag markings outside the entrance.
But under the new plans no waiting restrictions would be in place daily from 8.30am to 10.30am and 2.30pm to 4.30pm to prevent people parking on the roadside.
In April 2015 locals were consulted on their views of proposed waiting restrictions in Malins Road and nearby Greenly Road.
In response, a 64 signature petition was received with some residents campaigning to have the school relocated to the old Parkfield High School site, off Wolverhampton Road East, or closed completely.
Despite this the committee plans to submit the proposals to the Highways Agency for approval.
Chair of the petition committee, Wednesfield South councillor Greg Brackenridge said: "In the last twenty years we've had ten million more cars on the road, so I can only imagine this increasing in another twenty years time.
"I believe putting the restrictions to the Highways Agency is the best solution at this stage."
The petition committee told the residents that due to the school being an academy, it has no control over the decisions and plans made.
Blakenhall councillor Judith Rowley said: "My sympathies are with those who live in Malins and Greenly Road but I do feel the need to side more with the school than the residents I'm afraid.
"We have an important duty towards the safety of the children and that should be the main focus here.
"Parking issues have been on the committees agenda many times before.
"What I'd like to suggest is park and walk campaigns and possible new incentives for the school which might help ease this situation."
