‘Shotgun wouldn’t stop some parents from parking!’ (From The Bolton News)

‘Shotgun wouldn’t stop some parents from parking!’

9:01am Wednesday 5th December 2012 in News

PARKING problems are unlikely to change outside a school unless the headteacher gets a “sawn-off shotgun and fires at cars”, a councillor has claimed.

The comment, in jest from Cllr Christopher Peacock, who represents White Horse Ward, follows proposals to introduce further waiting restrictions outside Sacred Heart RC Primary School, in Central Drive, Westhoughton, to tie in with the school taking on an additional 60 pupils.

At a meeting of Westhoughton Town Council he said: “We could put spikes down there and there will be parents who would still park on it and think ‘I will get a new tyre’. Sadly it’s a never ending problem.

“Unless the headteacher can get a sawn-off shotgun and fire it at cars I don’t think it will change.”

Cllr Peacock praised the school for its work to keep pupils safe.

The plans are to enforce no-waiting restrictions from Monday to Friday between 8am and 9.30am and 3pm and 4.30pm on parts of Cherwell Road, Washburn Close, Whitsundale, Windrush Drive and Arundale.

Cllr Lynda Winrow-Baker, of Hoskers and Hart Common Ward, said: “Residents are being penalised by the selfish actions of the parents.”

Cllr David Wilkinson, who represents Hoskers and Hart Common, said the proposals are “unenforceable” and called for a wider consultation to be carried out.

Councillors voted in favour of the plans but asked for the enforcement times to be reconsidered after Cllr Gill Williams, of Daisy Hill Ward, claimed it was “overkill”.

The plans have been submitted to manage parking more effectively at school opening and closing times to protect pupils.

Martin Johnson, headteacher at Sacred Heart School, said: “We have a park and walk to school system where 50 cars park on a designated car park before and after school.

“We encourage walking to and from school and have a trophy for the class with the most people walking to and from school.”

He said the proposals are there to ensure pupils’ safety.

Cllr Peacock said: “I jokingly made the comment because there will always be a minority of parents who ignore parking restrictions no matter what rules are put down to try and help the school, pupils and local residents.”