PROPOSALS have been put forward to introduce waiting restrictions near to a Hoyland Common school due to parents’ problematic parking - but a local councillor has questioned whether or not it will actually work.
The public can have their say on the plans to bring in ‘no waiting at any time’ restrictions on Queen Street - near to Hoyland Common Primary School - between 8am and 6pm each day until November 7.
The council are proposing the plans due to constant problematic parking from parents at school pick-up and drop-off times.
A report states: “Queen Street in Hoyland Common is a narrow street connecting Sheffield Road with Tinkler Lane and serves a number of residential properties and is in close vicinity to Hoyland Common Primary School which is located on the southern side of Sheffield Road opposite the Queen Street junction.
“In recent years, parent drop-off and pick-up parking has become an increasing problem near the school to the extent that Queen Street is becoming heavily congested and obstructed.
“Parking currently takes place on both sides of the road further narrowing the carriageway creating a significant risk of conflict/contact between both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian/cyclist on this road due to lack of vehicle manoeuvring space available and reduced visibility for all road users.”
Coun Andy Wray, who represents the Rockingham ward, told the Chronicle that the South Area Council recently agreed to fund extra warden patrols during school times but admits that out of these hours the issues may still persists.
He said there isn’t a ‘perfect answer’ to the problem - and admits that parents are likely to just move the problem somewhere else.
He added: “Queen Street itself is not wide enough for two vehicles to pass one another in either direction, never mind parking issues.
“To add to the parking issue, residents living on Queens Crescent and Queens Gardens are struggling to leave and enter their streets during school times.
“Although these new yellow lines may look good, the obvious issue now is who will police it.
“People will point to parents parking their at school times and not parking further away and walking to school with their children.
“But this is only part of the day.
“Unfortunately these streets weren’t built for the amount of traffic on our roads today.
“Will people respect these lines, park further away, then create the same problem further away?
“There isn't a really perfect answer to this so I’m afraid the complaints I receive, quite fairly, will simply continue.
“Because of the school being close to the heart of Hoyland Common and on main road, could HCAT provide a drop off point rather than parking spaces?”
