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Wardens stoned by parents over school parking
Robert Mendick29 Apr 2009
Traffic wardens have been told to visit primary schools in pairs after they were stoned by angry parents.
On some occasions, the officers have been accompanied by police to protect them from verbal and physical abuse.
Parents are angered by traffic congestion outside St Thomas of Canterbury and St Helen's schools, and Sawyers Hall College on one road in Brentwood, Essex.
Simon Bennett, from Brentwood council, said: “It is a very difficult problem to resolve and we are going to look at it again.”
One mother, from Hutton, said she had paint thrown over her car, warning her not to park there.
Reader views (15)
This incident happened 2 years ago - In 2007.
Both Schools are voluntry Aided Church schools, so have a wide catchment area, some children coming in as far as 10 miles away.
Not all areas are covered by transport coaches, so Parents are left with little option but to drive to school. The congestion is for around 20 mins both morning & evening.
I'm a resident in a road near the school & have children at one of the schools.
- Mrs W, Brentwood Essex, 07/05/2009 11:59
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Simon Bennett, from Brentwood council, said: “It is a very difficult problem to resolve and we are going to look at it again.”
No, it's not a problem, it's criminal behaviour; and to make 'concessions' will encourage more of the same. THEN, it will become a problem.
Presumably, these wooden-headed 'parents' would be the first to complain if their offspring were intimidated and bullied at school, yet somehow it seems OK when they 'set the example'.
Set a different example....Lock 'em up!
- John, Dorset, UK, 30/04/2009 09:07
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Until last year I worked as a parking lot attendant at a large supermarket in Brentwood, for the most part I found the majority of young mothers very arrogant and thought that the parking regulations didn't apply to them as I was only a lowly peon and they were rich "Brentwood Women"
- John W, hamilton canada, 30/04/2009 02:55
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The school should provide parking facilities for school run mums, and if they cant do that at least provide buses to ferry the children home. Safety is paramount where little kids are concerned and this country streets are not safe for anybody let alone young innocents at primary school.
- Mr.S.Port, London, 30/04/2009 02:28
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Parents who take there children to school in there cars are a out right nuisance to local residents and services,we have had the same problem in my area for years,they regularly block the road,even preventing the Doctor at the local surgery going out on his rounds,and when the parents are challenged thay become so aggressive setting a bad example to there children and others.The practise of the so called school run should be made illegal,especially considering we have a obesity problem amongst school children in this country,a hike to school would do the world of good for the overweight kids i see being dropped of,and of course they should be banned from public transport to.
- Kev, London-UK, 29/04/2009 18:23
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School run traffic congestion is a nightmare all over the country and the drivers are invariably women who have little idea of road courtesy or indeed the law.
They deserve to be booked and prosecuted and anyone throwing anything at wardens should find themselves on criminal charges.
- Scotty, Cambridge UK, 29/04/2009 17:54
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This isn't about kids needing to walk, don't get sidetracked. This is about a culture that is broken to the extent that 'adults' think assaulting someone else is acceptable.
By the way, where is the CCTV footage?
- Trunk, US, 29/04/2009 17:31
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Telling people they can't use legally owned vehicles for a perfectly legal reason is a bit of a waste of time. It's just an excuse to slag someone down because they have something you don't. They get in your way? So do delivery vans and people driving to work etc. Get over it.
That said, the suggestion for school buses DOES have merit, and for the reasons given and more. A major fear of parents leading to them dropping off and picking up their kids is the fear of the predators out there, and the violence from youth gangs. Anyone who doesn't think that reasonable is being UNreasonable in the extreme. School buses would eliminate a lot of this.
- Rogan, Irving, 29/04/2009 17:29
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All these parents want to do is to show off their cars. Its about time the children were all made to walk to school.
- Patrick, Dalston, 29/04/2009 16:54
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When I was at school, I walked, along with many of my friends.
Mothers on the morning school run are the worst drivers of all. Swerve across the road infront of oncomming traffic just to park, queues of big people carriers with 1 kid in, chatting on their phone, parking where ever, refusing to give way & generally driving/parking as if they own the road and no-one should advise them any different. Yet you mention anything to them & you get abuse hurled at you.
I think school buses should ferry all the kids to school. 1 bus for 30-40 kids rather than 30-40 different cars/people carriers..etc. May make the roads a little less busy too!
- Dom, London, 29/04/2009 16:53
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What a bunch of scumbags
- David, London, 29/04/2009 16:39
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Knowing the area concerned well, the mothers dropping the children off cannot walk the children as in times of old as it will seriously affect and cut into their nail and hair appointment times. They are a sad reflection of society.
- Steve, London, 29/04/2009 15:59
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What is the world coming to..parents setting a good example for their children, what role models but there again it is Essex....no wonder we have the problems with the yoof of today.
- Rosie, watford, 29/04/2009 15:57
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Typical Essex, chav, bully-boy arrogance. Fine them all and ban them for life
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 29/04/2009 15:51
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When I was at school, boys got Saturday detention if they were dropped off near the school.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington, 29/04/2009 15:31
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