PARKING RAGE
Fed-up residents try to block school traffic from entering their estate
THE shortage of parking facilities at the shared Cumbernauld/St Andrew's Primary school campus has once again been causing ill-feeling among nearby residents and parents alike.
The latest development is that residents of nearby Cawder Court, which is being used as a substitute pick-up and drop-off zone, with parents being advised to park there, have become more actively opposed to their estate being used in this way. The residents have been spurred into action by problems occurring on Tuesday last week, when around 20 cars were parked at one time in the small cul-de-sac, causing severe congestion.
Small groups of residents have begun to stand in the middle of the street at peak hours and have also organised a petition signed by almost 70 residents, as well as parents of pupils at the schools, who feel the council must respond to demands for improved parking facilities. Josephine Airlie and her family drew up this petition after her new car was damaged in their driveway by a motorist who reversed into it and drove off without leaving details.
Josephine said: "It's not just the inconvenience which we are upset about, but the safety aspect. Recently a boy on his bike was hit by a car. He was not badly injured but could have been. There have also been several near misses."
A resident involved in the protests, James Milton, said: "I find it very difficult to get my own child to school because of people blocking the driveways. Bollards have been erected but these have been knocked down two or three times since the school opened. I would like to point out that I am not blaming the parents, who are forced into coming here because there is nowhere else to go. I think this is the fault of the authorities."
The parents who use Cawder Court for parking have expressed mixed emotions about the situation. Emma Gilmore from Blackwood commented: "The police advised us to come here and that we would not be breaking the law by parking on the pavement. I totally understand what the people who live here are saying but it is not our fault or that of the school. No parking provision has been built at the school and the only other place where we can go is Dullatur Golf Club and people have been protesting there too. I am also worried about the safety aspects. There is so much spare land round here that it should be easy to build adequate parking."
Another mother from Blackwood, Bianca Gray, added: "We have 600 children in the schools and accidents are bound to happen with everyone crushing in together like this. It is very hazardous. The council must build more parking." Heather Green of Westerwood said that she only drove her children to school because she felt there was no safe alternative. "My children cannot cross two 40mph roads. They would love to walk to school and I would love to let them but until we have properly controlled crossings there is just no way I will take the risk."
Independent councillor Gordon Murray submitted the residents' petition to North Lanarkshire Council and also wrote to officials and the police, saying: "There has been a serious problem at this school since it opened. A large number of meetings have been held between school boards, community councils and local councillors over almost two years where various proposals have been made to resolve this problem but little positive action has been achieved and the schools are to be increased in size. The residents have suffered long enough, they are now taking positive action to prevent their environment being damaged.
"The problem was accentuated by the education authority deliberately advising parents to drop off or pick up their children in Cawder Court or in the area of the cul-de-sac. It is unbelievable that for so long a chronic complaint has had no positive action to find a solution."
A council spokesperson confirmed that the directors of education, planning and administration had received Councillor Murray's letter.
A police spokesman said they would continue to monitor the situation and work with school staff and others to find a quick and positive solution.
Report: NEIL McGRORY
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Weather for Kilsyth
Thursday 24 May 2012
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