Police on duty outside Chatteris school in attempt to tackle dangerous parking

Officers spoke to several drivers outside Glebelands School, in Farriers Gate, after they received an “overwhelming” number of complaints about illegal parking during the busy school-run.

Head teacher Lisa Sharratt said: “There are normally people parked all the way around the roundabout. They also park in the school gateway and then abandon their car to drop their children in.

“We go backwards and forwards through ticketing and reminders in our newsletters but it just gets ignored.

“We would just like people to be sensible. There hasn’t been an accident yet but I think we have been on borrowed time.

“People don’t self-regulate. That is the problem and it’s a continual problem.”

Mrs Sharratt said that as well as causing an obstruction outside the entrance to the school, cars had pulled onto the pavement and in some cases into residents’ gardens to keep traffic moving.

Sergeant Steven Atkin, who led this morning’s crackdown, said: “We want to send a clear message by having a zero tolerance policy.

“Unless someone has a really good reason why they’re doing what they’re doing they’re not going to be let off, they’re going to get a ticket.

Sgt Atkin also said police would be speaking to Cambridgeshire County Council and the Highways Agency to look at greater parking restrictions to help with enforcement.

“The number of complaints have just got overwhelming now,” he said. “We want to insist that people adopt a safer way of dropping their children off at school.”

One mum, Lorraine Nulty, said more facilities should be provided to help parents who have no choice but to drive their children to school.

“There was a school trip the other day but the bus couldn’t get through to pick the kids up,” she said.

“More and more people are coming to school, more and more people are passing their driving tests and there are more and more houses being built, but no more facilities are being put up to deal with it.”