“TOO many cars, too small a space, too few minutes.” This sums up the view of Paul Vincent who has resigned as a Landscore School governor over what he says is the school’s reluctance to act to reduce parking congestion outside the school.

He told the “Courier” that a group of governors met recently to discuss the growing calls for action to ease the problem.

He explained: “Although there were two good proposals to address traffic flow outside the school, the crux of the matter is that most of the children are required to arrive during a very short time window before the start of classes.

“Unfortunately Governors have made no firm commitment to address this obvious cause of parking congestion.

“To ease the problem, the arrival period must be extended - either earlier, later or both.

“Alternatively - or in addition - arrival times can be staggered, so that different classes arrive at different times.”

He said that the Governors and Headteacher have come up with proposals to create a supervised “drop-off” zone (instead of the existing fixed parking spaces) outside the school, in order to promote a better flow of traffic on school mornings.

He added that a one-way system outside the school had also been suggested as a longer-term measure.

Mr Vincent said that the Governors have failed to focus on measures that the school itself can deliver.

He continued: “Changes to the road layout are all well and good, but require long periods of consultation and considerable expense.

“With the growing likelihood of a serious accident, the school cannot depend on outside agencies with their own budgets and time constraints, when it hasn’t made the simple and positive changes which are in its own power to make.

“Although there are staffing and budget considerations, safety should be the leading priority.

“The issue has reached a point at which action must be taken immediately.

“To do nothing is also to ignore the growing concerns of local residents, parents, staff and local businesses (such as Chiddenbrook Surgery and Stagecoach buses), who have all voiced complaints.

“Local councillors have also drawn attention to the issue in recent campaigns. Now is absolutely the time for a decision which will make an obvious and immediate impact.

“I am therefore disappointed that, Governors at our meeting were unable to commit to recommend such changes - despite a recent full Governors’ meeting at which the risk of injury to a child or potential fatality was clearly minuted.”

Alan Quick