No parking choice for many
My daughter was very happy to start her secondary education at Hadley Leaning Community. So far, she and her classmates seem to have settled well and we cannot fault the enthusiasm of the teaching staff.
The school has received more than its fair share of press coverage for a variety of issues - the main one of late being the lack of parking facilities. Many parents have parked considerately in side roads, having no choice other than to drive to school as there is not yet any bus provided to serve the school.
One might sympathise with the residents of these roads for the disruption they might suffer for the mere half an hour each day that the school run takes place. I cannot however sympathise with the woman in Sunningdale Road who on the second day of term, pulled her people carrier off her drive and deliberately blocked the junction exit onto Waterloo Road, causing cars to cross into oncoming traffic turning into Sunningdale Road.
Neither can I sympathise with the resident of Pool Meadow who, when a driver has considerately looked for a place where they would cause neither nuisance nor obstruction, had left a note stating 'Do not park here again! We live here not you!' under the wiper blade.
While the school is encouraging pupils to walk or cycle, there is no safe cycle path for them to do so - indeed many children who I have seen leaving the school by bicycle do so without any care or observation, putting their own lives, and those of other road users at risk.
I do not consider that my 11-year-old daughter would be safe walking to or from school through the Hadley area as winter draws near.
Perhaps residents should channel their energies into lobbying the school to relieve the parking problems by opening the car parks as a matter of urgency.
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