A SCHOOL minibus has been hit with a series of parking tickets while picking up pupils - with bosses claiming it is the only safe place to stop.

Due to social distancing guidelines, the minibus taking children home from Saint Pierre School, in Leigh Road, has been parking on yellow zig zags directly outside the school gate.

School bosses have claimed if the bus parks on the school driveway, there will not be enough space for parents to stay two metres apart at pick-up time - and they are urging the council to scrap the tickets.

But Ron Woodley, deputy leader of Southend Council, insisted it is not a safe place and the school must find an alternative.

School boss, Kurt Davies, said: “Nearly all the parents come to the side of the building to collect at the end of the day. The bus goes on the drive, and the children are taken home and the bus pulls off the drive.

“All the parents use the driveway on the side and we have stopped the parents coming in. The bus pulls up by the side of the school and we keep getting parking tickets.

“We sent the council a letter saying it’s for safety, but we keep getting tickets. I don’t know what else to do, we have to walk the kids to get them on to the bus on the zig-zags. I reckon we have had at least three.”

Mr Davies said that the council has not offered any help and that the school is “just trying to keep its pupils and parents safe”.

He added: “The kids are standing outside, they run them out and strap them in.

“It’s just a bit strange, in these crazy times we are just trying to be safe with social distancing.

Mr Woodley, who is responsible for transport at Southend Council, said: “School zig-zags are put in place to ensure the safety of students coming in and out of their schools.

“They prevent parents and carers from parking directly outside the school when picking up and dropping off their children, which blocks the view of anyone crossing the road.

“I would ask the school to consider an alternative pick-up and drop-off location, which strikes the balance of being close to the school, but also enables pupils to access the minibus safely, without causing a potentially dangerous situation by parking on the zig-zags. We are happy to work with them to find a suitable location.

“This stretch of road is very busy, particularly during the school run, and there are a number of zebra crossings in the vicinity of the school which could offer a safe route for children to get to and from the school. While I sympathise with the school while they adapt their pickups to adhere to social distancing, we must ensure all children and residents are kept safe and well.”