Police called to parking row near Shifnal schools
Police were called to intervene after an argument broke out near two schools between a parent dropping off their child and a resident living nearby.
The row broke out between the two people in Barn Road in Shifnal, which lies close to Idsall Secondary School and Shifnal Primary School.
The resident called police claiming one parent had parked their car across their drive during school dropping-off hours and an argument broke out when the driver was asked to move.
Officers went to the scene shortly before 9.30am yesterday to diffuse the situation and gave advice to both parties. No-one was deemed to have committed an offence.
The argument has prompted calls for more to be done to solve the problem of cars parking near schools on residential roads.
Councillor Kevin Turley, Shropshire councillor for Shifnal North, said it was an ongoing issue which needed tackling. He said: "I know this is not the fault of either school but we need to do something. I think there is a nationwide problem with parking outside schools, but this is something we are working on in Shifnal."
Councillor Turley said plans are in place to repaint the yellow zig-zags outside Shifnal Primary School in Curriers Lane and St Andrew's Primary School in Park Lane as well as putting in a traffic regulation order, which could be done as early as Easter.
He added he wasn't surprised this incident happened, but it was a small minority of parents that were causing a problem.
Chris Ammonds, for West Mercia Police, said: "There was a disagreement. We were called by a resident at 9.20am yesterday to say there was a car parked outside their home blocking the drive. An altercation occurred when the driver was asked to move. Advice is going to be given to both parties. No specific offences were recorded."
Councillor Turley also said increased development in Shifnal could make the problem worse, as plans are currently being put forward that could see 1,600 new homes built in the town by 2026. He said: "With the increase in development in Shifnal, we need to evaluate and look at it so car parking facilities are created."
