Peak-time chaos near town school - letter
WITH reference to the accident that occurred outside the school in Rowley Drive, Newmarket recently, I am writing this letter, appealing to you, in your capacity as the Safer Neighbourhood Team Inspector, to take the necessary steps to prevent the same thing happening outside All Saints Primary School in Vicarage Road, Newmarket.
During the last two or three years I have had discussions with Senior Police Officers at Newmarket Police Station, with regard to, what I consider to be their laissez-faire attitude towards the inappropriate and often dangerous parking in the town. I have expressed my concerns with regard to the illegal parking of vehicles outside the school and in the immediate area.
I cannot understand why the local police is unable to deal with this. Every day, and all day, vehicles park illegally outside the fish and chip shop/convenience store, opposite the school. They park in close proximity to the crossroads next to the road junctions and sometimes on the pavement. During the late afternoon/early evening customers of this shop once again cause extreme congestion during peak periods.
My main concern is that during school drop-off and pick-up times, vehicles park illegally in this area. Not only on previously mentioned areas, but on school zigzag markings, causing chaos during peak periods. During the morning period there are also large strings of ‘highly strung’ racehorses using the road, together with delivery lorries unloading at the convenience store.
Parents do not just drop off their children, but take them into the school, many of them remaining on the premises for prolonged periods. When I have complained to the local Police, on numerous occasions, I have been told that they will ‘pass it on’ to the Safer Neighbourhood Team. I remain, however, at a loss to fully understand their role in this instance, as nothing appears to have changed.
There is, I feel, a simple resolution to this situation which could dramatically reduce the risk of a young child being seriously injured or even worse, a fatality. There is, as you will be aware, a very large car park, with pedestrian access into Queen Street. This would involve parents and children having to cross just one road, in a far safer area, in which to walk to school. I walked this route recently and it took me less than two and a half minutes.
Randomly issuing parking tickets to offenders who park illegally in this area would almost certainly alleviate the problem without too much drain on resources, especially as the area concerned in right next to the police station.
Name and address supplied
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Newmarket
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.