Residents' warning over school parking problem (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Residents' warning over school parking problem

2:00pm Saturday 13th June 2009 in News By Chris Gregory

PROBLEM parking in streets around two schools in Hook could lead to an accident involving a child, neighbouring residents have warned.

At total of 32 residents in Church View, St John’s Close and Band Hall Place, near Hook infant and junior schools, have a signed a petition that has been handed to Hart District Council, which will discuss it tonight.

They blame parents of children at the schools, people working in the village and commuters who park in the streets before walking to the railway station in Station Road.

The petition read: “Cars are parked inconsiderately on and across our driveways, on the grass verges, on the corners, opposite road junctions, across dropped kerbs and even on pathways.

“All this not only makes it inconvenient and annoying for us residents, but it is also very unsafe for children coming and going to school, which no doubt will result in an accident involving a child.”

Petition organiser Roy Sweeby, 72, of Band Hall Place, said the parking problems have lasted for ten years and were at their worst at the end of the school day.

He told The Gazette: “It has gradually been getting worse and worse as the schools have grown and grown. Everybody was up in arms when I went around with the petition. They are really fed up.”

Neither Lynn Martin, head teacher at Hook Junior School, or Sally Willshire, head teacher at Hook Infant School, were available for comment when The Gazette went to press.

Around 655 pupils attend the two schools in Church View.

Mr Sweeby presented the signed petition to the annual meeting of Hook Parish Council in April, where district councillor Sean Haffey recommended that it should be handed to Hart District Council.

Cabinet members are expected to recommend that the district council assess the priority of the problem, before reporting back in October.