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'Spy-car putting children's safety at risk' (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)
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'Spy-car putting children's safety at risk'
9:20am Saturday 18th July 2009
An incident in which an 11-year-old girl was hit by a car could be the first of many if parking wardens continue to hound school-run parents, according to a school governor.
Just 10 minutes before the pupil was hit in Queen’s Road, Richmond, last Friday, parent governor at St Elizabeth’s Primary School, Anthony Carroll, had called Richmond Council to warn that an over zealous parking Smart car, dubbed the spy-car, was scaring drivers in a busy main road.
He told council officers wardens were picking on mums and dads during collection and drop-off times and forcing them from Lower Grove Road into Queen’s Road, outside the school gates, causing congestion and putting the safety of school-children at risk.
Mr Carroll said: “[Wardens] are handing out tickets and seem to be targeting the school.
“They are driving the parents round to a more dangerous area.
“I am a parent governor in charge of health and safety at the school and what I am now afraid of is the health and safety of the children outside the school.”
He explained the girl, who is in her final year at St Elizabeth’s, left school at 3.15pm, crossed Queen’s Road using a pedestrian crossing but was hit by a car turning into Marchmont Road when she crossed at the junction of the two, which left her with “tyre marks up her leg”. She has been on crutches since the incident.
Mr Carroll believes the council should show compassion to people stopping in Lower Grove Road, which is governed by residents’ parking restrictions, or change the hours of operation to benefit parents.
The council’s cabinet member for traffic, transport and parking, Councillor David Trigg, said: “Civil enforcement officers have visited the road to ensure drivers were stopping in the correct places.
“People who park illegally or incorrectly can endanger lives and in this case they are putting the safety of children at risk.
“We appreciate parents want to park near the school to meet children, but they must do so in a manner which is safe and legal.”
Since the accident Mr Carroll said council officers told him they would not send the Smart car to the area, but dispatch a warden on a bike.
He said: “It’s not solving the problem – it’s still creating one.”
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Your Say YourRichmond
QueenNutkin, richmond says...
9:25pm Sat 18 Jul 09
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Rupert Harris, Richmond says...
12:17pm Sat 18 Jul 09
The other day I received a letter informing me that my car had been photographed parked in Friars Stile Road, Richmond for one minute and this would cost me £100 or £50 if paid promptly. Is this a proportionate response to the crime of stopping for a newspaper? The average drug addicted burglar is treated with more compassion these days and I actually paid for my paper!
This level of punishment for what was a pretty harmless offence (no blind people inconvenienced or wheelchairs forced into the gutter) must impact on the takings of the shops in the parade. I will not buy anything there again. Well done Richmond Council.