A row between locals and parents who block their driveways at school pick-up time turned ugly as two women started a street brawl.

The pair had to be prised apart by three men as tempers flared in the quiet cul-de-sac which becomes a war zone every day at 3pm.

One witness said: 'It's not the first fight and it won't be the last - it's got worse since the kids went back to school.

I can see it from both sides, the parents want to pick their children up safely from school but the residents are fed up of being blocked in by inconsiderate parking.'

Police have set up patrols in Lon Derw, a quiet cul-de-sac in Bridgend, South Wales, where the fight broke out on Tuesday afternoon.

But mums and dads continue to flood into the area to pick up their children from the 200-pupil Brynmenyn Primary School, leaving cars on pavements and using private parking spaces as if they were their own.

The biggest trouble spot is right outside an old people's home where the manager fears there will be a tragedy because emergency services can't get through.

Trudy Davis, service manager at the home run by housing association Inc Cymru, said: 'There are certain times of the day when we couldn't get an ambulance to one of our residents if we needed to.

'We have 45 elderly people living here - the eldest is 97 but for five days a week the home is blocked off twice a day during the school run.

'Emergency services need to have access 24-hours a day - this is a serious concern.

'We've put up signs but people don't adhere to them - the police are very much on our side but the problem continues.'

Residents of the 19 houses in the cul-de-sac are struggling to get the law on their side because the small estate has no double yellow lines.

Parents on the school run park across the entrance of their driveways causing chaos and some double park while they nip to the school gates to collect their little ones.

Last year the livid homeowners blockaded the entrance to the estate by sitting in deck chairs on the road in protest at the daily influx of school-run parents.

Now locals have started a more subtle approach by taking photographs of offending cars and passing the details on to police reporting them for obstruction.

Father-of-four Mal Harris, who lives close to the entrance of the cul-de-sac told Mail Online: 'The deckchair protest worked - it brought a lot of attention to the problem and things calmed down.

'But it's got worse since the kids went back to school and I've asked the police to patrol the area, especially in the afternoon when parents arrive at the same time to collect their children.

'Tempers have got frayed again and we are starting to get incidents like we've seen today.'

Bridgend Council tried to solve the problem by creating parking bays around the schools and issuing parking permits.

But locals say most of the parents didn't qualify for a parking permit and continued to park outside their front doors.

Mr Harris, a bodyguard, said one solution would be to use a large car park outside the adjoining comprehensive school as a drop-off and pick-up spot.

He added: 'That would be an easy way to resolve it but the council won't do it.

'People living here are frustrated at the high volume of traffic but parents coming here twice a day are only concerned about the safety of their children. There has to be an answer.'

One homeowner said the inconsiderate parking had caused them to consider moving in order to get away from the problem.

They said: 'We have this constant feeling of being watched, and while we feel for parents as they have to park somewhere, there are also cases where there is a complete lack of respect - with people lining the streets, blocking cars in their drives, and generally parking however they want.'

Bridgend Council said there are parking restrictions on the access road to the school to help with road safety.

A Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) spokesman said: 'If any vehicle causes an obstruction by parking inconsiderately on a public highway, it should be reported to South Wales Police so officers can assess whether an obstruction has occurred.

'Safety is paramount and there are parking restrictions on the access road to the school to assist with road safety and to facilitate access to residential properties in the area.

'Civil parking enforcement officers, who are employed by BCBC, also patrol this area and enforce parking restrictions where appropriate.

'We would like to remind parents/carers that alternative options are available including active travel routes which offer safe access to and from the school.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12591913/fight-locals-block-driveways-deck-chairs-stop-parents-school-pickup-outside-homes.html

On 04/10/2023 11:47 am, Simon Mason wrote:

> A row between locals and parents who block their driveways at school pick-up time turned ugly as two women started a street brawl.
> The pair had to be prised apart by three men as tempers flared in the quiet cul-de-sac which becomes a war zone every day at 3pm.
> One witness said: 'It's not the first fight and it won't be the last - it's got worse since the kids went back to school.
> I can see it from both sides, the parents want to pick their children up safely from school but the residents are fed up of being blocked in by inconsiderate parking.'

I sympathise. There's a school near this house and I am dead against
inconsiderate parking.

But I'd be just as put out by being blocked in (or out) by a row of chairs.

Wouldn't you?

> Police have set up patrols in Lon Derw, a quiet cul-de-sac in Bridgend, South Wales, where the fight broke out on Tuesday afternoon.
> But mums and dads continue to flood into the area to pick up their children from the 200-pupil Brynmenyn Primary School, leaving cars on pavements and using private parking spaces as if they were their own.
> The biggest trouble spot is right outside an old people's home where the manager fears there will be a tragedy because emergency services can't get through.
> Trudy Davis, service manager at the home run by housing association Inc Cymru, said: 'There are certain times of the day when we couldn't get an ambulance to one of our residents if we needed to.
> 'We have 45 elderly people living here - the eldest is 97 but for five days a week the home is blocked off twice a day during the school run.
> 'Emergency services need to have access 24-hours a day - this is a serious concern.
> 'We've put up signs but people don't adhere to them - the police are very much on our side but the problem continues.'
> Residents of the 19 houses in the cul-de-sac are struggling to get the law on their side because the small estate has no double yellow lines.

Surely, the residents don't want those?

It would cause insurmountable difficulties for delivery services and
legitimate visitors (including family members).

> Parents on the school run park across the entrance of their driveways causing chaos and some double park while they nip to the school gates to collect their little ones.

Traffic wardens (OK, "parking attendants"). They could raise their own
salaries and prevent drainage of rate funds.

> Last year the livid homeowners blockaded the entrance to the estate by sitting in deck chairs on the road in protest at the daily influx of school-run parents.

And presumably anyone else with legitimate business there.

> Now locals have started a more subtle approach by taking photographs of offending cars and passing the details on to police reporting them for obstruction.
> Father-of-four Mal Harris, who lives close to the entrance of the cul-de-sac told Mail Online: 'The deckchair protest worked - it brought a lot of attention to the problem and things calmed down.
> 'But it's got worse since the kids went back to school and I've asked the police to patrol the area, especially in the afternoon when parents arrive at the same time to collect their children.
> 'Tempers have got frayed again and we are starting to get incidents like we've seen today.'
> Bridgend Council tried to solve the problem by creating parking bays around the schools and issuing parking permits.
> But locals say most of the parents didn't qualify for a parking permit and continued to park outside their front doors.
> Mr Harris, a bodyguard, said one solution would be to use a large car park outside the adjoining comprehensive school as a drop-off and pick-up spot.
> He added: 'That would be an easy way to resolve it but the council won't do it.
> 'People living here are frustrated at the high volume of traffic but parents coming here twice a day are only concerned about the safety of their children. There has to be an answer.'

The safety of children does, i suggest, have to be relatively high up
the totem pole.

> One homeowner said the inconsiderate parking had caused them to consider moving in order to get away from the problem.
> They said: 'We have this constant feeling of being watched, and while we feel for parents as they have to park somewhere, there are also cases where there is a complete lack of respect - with people lining the streets, blocking cars in their drives, and generally parking however they want.'
> Bridgend Council said there are parking restrictions on the access road to the school to help with road safety.
> A Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) spokesman said: 'If any vehicle causes an obstruction by parking inconsiderately on a public highway, it should be reported to South Wales Police so officers can assess whether an obstruction has occurred.
> 'Safety is paramount and there are parking restrictions on the access road to the school to assist with road safety and to facilitate access to residential properties in the area.
> 'Civil parking enforcement officers, who are employed by BCBC, also patrol this area and enforce parking restrictions where appropriate.
> 'We would like to remind parents/carers that alternative options are available including active travel routes which offer safe access to and from the school.'
>
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12591913/fight-locals-block-driveways-deck-chairs-stop-parents-school-pickup-outside-homes.html

BUT...

....

....

....

....

....

....

.... WHO was on the chav-bike?

Real_Brit, The Toon, United Kingdom, about an hour ago

Probably live a 5min walk away but used to having their orses sat down so drive. A bit like driving to the gym which is a 30min walk to go on the treadmill for an hr then drive back that other 30min walk.

==========================

I've said that for many years now.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> Real_Brit, The Toon, United Kingdom, about an hour ago

> Probably live a 5min walk away but used to having their orses sat down so
> drive. A bit like driving to the gym which is a 30min walk to go on the
> treadmill for an hr then drive back that other 30min walk.

> I've said that for many years now.

Then you would be demonstrating that you know nothing about what a gym can
offer.

--
Spike

fender1964, Cardiff, United Kingdom, about 12 hours ago

i see this everyday where i live, parents park up in audi's bmw's giant 44's and i know they do not live far away they are just lazy, when i was at school we walked or cycled rain or shine, never had a lift nor wanted one. we were fit back in the day, and not stuck at home glues to the tv with a games machine or mobile phone, we were out making adventures and making friends, running errands making a few pence! and an obligatory bag of sweets for the effort or sqeee it in and say milk went up 5p.