PARENTS have been warned against ‘inconsiderate’ parking outside a school.

Officers from Clitheroe Police Station have dispatched warning letters to parents who pick up their children from Simonstone Church of England Primary School, on School Lane, after receiving complaints from residents about inconsiderate parking at the school’s surrounding streets.

Police have warned that the inconsiderate parking has put children’s safety at risk and obstructing pedestrians who need room to walk on the pavement with children and pushchairs.

Some parents have parked on the zig zag area near to the school, which has been signposted as a pick-up or drop-off point.

Residents have said that the inconsiderate parking has caused them difficulties and distress because it can cause obstruction and congestion.

In the letter, a spokesman from Clitheroe Police Station said: “If you use your car to take and fetch your children from school please ensure that you park considerately.

“As a general rule please leave at least enough room on the pavement, not the grass verge, for a parent with a double buggy to pass safely.

“Pedestrians should never have to walk out into the road to negotiate a parked vehicle

“Please be aware that the drivers of cars parked inconsiderately may incur a penalty for obstruction.”

A private meeting was held between school representatives, local councillors and County Cllr Keith Iddon, the cabinet member for highways and transport at St Peter’s Church, which is situated opposite the school.

The different parties met to try and come up with a solution to the school problem

Cllr David Peat, who is the chairman of the Simonstone Parish Council, said: “This has been an issue for a lot of years.

“School Lane is quite narrow and wasn’t built for cars.

“We have worked with County Hall’s highways to implement no-parking areas to stop people parking and we support the police and the school in trying to get people to park sensibly and responsibly."

“I have spoken to Cllr Iddon and asked for traffic-calming measures, such as traffic lights or zebra crossings, to get people to slow down as we can’t get them to stop parking, ”

A county council spokesman said: "We work with Simonstone Primary School to provide advice and training with the aim of reducing congestion outside the school.

"This includes delivering pedestrian and cycle training to ensure pupils know how to be safe on the roads, and encourage parents to consider alternatives.

"We have online resources available to all schools to help them communicate with parents about the parking issues, and have provided A-boards to the school asking parents not to park outside the gates.

"We have provided H-bar markings to discourage drivers from blocking residents' driveways."

The school was unable to provide a comment.