PUPILS and teachers from an East Cornwall primary school have written to the Times expressing their concerns over people parking irresponsibly outside the school.

Children from Year 4 at Stoke Climsland Primary School said parents and adults have been parking on the yellow zig zag lines outside the school, which causes traffic jams and blocks the road.

Yellow and white zig zag markings are placed to show that the area must be kept clear to allow an unrestricted view for approaching drivers and riders or children wanting to cross the road.

In their letter, the pupils said: ‘So many people park on the zig zag lines. We are very cross about this and have been trying to get them to stop.

‘If cars park outside the school it means it blocks the road easily. Other drivers have to wait which causes traffic jams. Mums and dads park on the zig zag lines either because it is raining or they are just too lazy to walk very far. People park on the lines even though there are lots of safe spaces around the village. Parents can’t be bothered to go and find a space that is safe. They might be running late for work. Parents don’t want themselves or their children getting wet if it is raining.’

Year 4 teacher Lisa Chaffer said the pupils were feeling very cross about people continuously parking on the zig zag lines and within the ten metre exclusion zone on and near adjacent junctions.

She said: ‘The children are aware that they are expected to follow the rules in school and then forced to watch adults breaking the rules just outside school premises. Pupils feel that parents park inappropriately because they don’t want to walk the short distance from the many available parking spaces around the village. Pupils are also acutely aware of the frustration of villagers and road users during the school rush hours. They cannot understand why people continue to park inappropriately and are not brought to book over this.

‘In an attempt to curtail this nuisance, Year 5 and 6 pupils act as Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSO). Some pupils patrol in pairs in the morning and before school finishes. Pupils are always accompanied by one adult and all wear hi-visibility jackets. The aim is to encourage people to park safely outside our school. Sometimes the accompanying adult needs to gently remind people when they park inappropriately. Sadly, as JRSOs have witnessed on the odd occasion, people do respond in a disappointing manner.’

Mrs Chaffer said that in order to improve matters, the school investigated the issue with the help of a former police inspector. They were told that they needed a sign outside the school in order to enforce the ruling of no parking on the zig zag lines.

Mrs Chaffer said: ‘We wish to apply for such a sign but we have been told that Cornwall Council will not be making a decision on whether to issue any more of these signs for at least six months. We think this is an unacceptable time to wait and this means that children continue to face daily danger outside our school.’

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: ‘Cornwall Council is sorry to hear about the parking issues outside the school at Stoke Climsland caused by inconsiderate drivers who are parking inappropriately and putting the safety of the children at risk. Very recent changes to the national traffic sign regulations now permit local highway authorities to erect “No Stopping” signs along the yellow zig zag road markings to make them enforceable.

‘The council has commissioned a review of school keep clear markings at primary and secondary schools within the seven parking review towns — Penzance/Newlyn, St Ives, Falmouth/Penryn, Truro, Newquay, Wadebridge and Bude — initially with a view to making these mandatory and therefore enforceable. It is also considering extending this programme to include all 282 schools across the county and is looking into how this could be funded.’