Cars banned from busy estate but irate drivers say traffic is worse
A “posh” estate near Templars Primary School in Coventry has been overrun with parents waiting to pick their children up. The cul-de-sac receives around 60 cars every morning and afternoon to drop off hundreds of kids, prompting the council to take drastic measures.
Coventry City Council introduced a “Car Free Streets” scheme in a bid to clear the congestion from the estate and appease residents.
The move has banned vehicles from the street for a one hour period in the morning and afternoon.
One father, Frank David, regularly parked on the street to collect his child and claimed that the scheme “makes no sense”.
He said the parents are only there for 10 minutes at a time and aren’t blocking anyone in. He added that if the residents were that upset, they could close the back gate, although that would lead to “chaos” on the road for everyone.
The homeowners on Knights Templar Way say the council’s plan has backfired, with parents frequently ignoring the “no car” signs.
One mother, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I have paid my road tax and this is not a private road.
“The residents need to get over themselves. We’re only here for 10 minutes and there is nothing that will stop me coming here to pick up my kids.
“They have to give you 10 minutes waiting time so if I’m not blocking anyone and there are no yellow lines, there is nothing they can do.
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“I don’t mind having a shouting match every day. The alternative is too dangerous to contemplate,” she told the Sun.
Previous plans sought to ensure the estate had resident permit parking only between 8am and 9am and between 3pm and 4pm, although these proposals were rejected.
One campaigner for the new measures said the scheme is enforced by the police, meaning fines can be issued immediately.
One of the homeowners on the traffic-ridden estate called the situation “dangerous” adding that the issues were only becoming more common.
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They added: “They tell us we shouldn’t have bought next to a school but when this development went up in the late 1990s the primary school didn’t have a back gate.
“Once all the houses were sold, they opened one up and that’s when the trouble started. We’ve been complaining for 20 years.
“Twice a day it is carnage with 50 to 60 cars using the pavement as a road to get past one another.”
The school, which has 631 pupils, has a front gate which opens onto a main road, with parents saying cars often flout the 30mph speed limit.
As a result, the school lollipop lady admits she fears for her life after traffic lights were installed, resulting in cars speeding to make it through the red light.
Jan Nicholl has been helping children across the road for seven years said the lollipop lady who worked before her was knocked over by a car and didn’t return to the job.
The 66-year-old added that she has lost count of the number of times she has nearly been hit, with her husband Andrew, saying he worries every day.
Jan added: “To be fair, the lorry drivers are the most considerate and there’s a lot of them, but the cars need to be slowed down. It’s a scary road and it’s no wonder parents don’t fancy crossing it.”
Coventry City Council has plans to make the road a temporary 20mph zone to warn drivers, but a local councillor said the plans weren’t enough to deter drivers from speeding.
Marcus Lapsa suggested other traffic calming measures, including an island in the middle of the road, pelican lights or speed bumps.
The Conservative member for the Westwood ward added: “There’s already been a lollipop lady knocked over and I don’t think a temporary, unenforceable 20mph zone is enough.”
Express.co.uk has contacted Coventry City Council for comment.
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