‘UK’s Greenest Primary School’ blighted by air pollution and parking chaos
St Mary’s Catholic Academy in Derby faces parking chaos and air pollution, frustrating residents and prompting council action.
Complaints have been made that the “UK’s greenest primary school” on a busy Derby street is being blighted by air pollution outside the gates – and motorists may soon be in trouble because of it.
Those living in Broadway where St Mary’s Catholic Academy is situated say school parking on the street is getting out of control to the point where an “accident is waiting to happen”.
Frustrations have been raised with both the academy running the school and Derby City Council but nothing seems to have improved the situation since concerns were lodged.
Residents claim parents are double parking on Broadway at peak times are causing a bottleneck in traffic, parking on yellow lines and blocking people’s drives. It is also claimed some parents are ignoring signs on lampposts asking not to park near the school.
But there may soon be some action on the matter. A spokesperson for the city council said it was aware of the problems and is arranging its civil enforcement team “to conduct some additional patrols over the next few weeks”.
St Mary’s reopened in December 2023 after an arson attack destroyed the original building in 2020. Once rebuilt it was deemed “the UK’s greenest primary school”.
But residents say what happens outside the school is a completely different picture. Michael Moss, who lives near the area, described the scenes both in the morning and afternoon as “madness” and said there was an “accident waiting to happen”.
Mr Moss said: “There is sheer madness of drivers blocking the highway in order to drop-off/pick-up their children. The school may be a ‘Green Oasis’ but it is bounded by air pollution because motorists park indiscriminately, blocking access to houses, and plough up grass verges whilst leaving engines running.
“The congestion, the queuing of traffic and air pollution is being caused by these vehicles. They arrive so early in the afternoon – a good half an hour before the school finishes for the day – with their engines running. So much for the council’s policy towards air pollution, but they say they can’t enforce it. And they say they have no staff to enforce the illegal parking on the yellow lines.”
Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said he had been involved in “fisticuffs” with some parents who had blocked his driveway with their cars. He said some “have no respect” for residents.
The city council has stated previously that motorists, as an exemption, are able to park on yellow lines for the purpose of picking up and dropping off. But residents say parents are parking on the lines for as long as half an hour to ensure they get a parking spot as near to the school as possible. They claim the situation is worsened with children also being picked up from the nearby secondary school, St Benedict Catholic Academy, on Duffield Road.
Over the past couple of years Derby City Council has done its bit to tackle school parking issues across the city by implementing “School Safe Haven” zones.
The scheme allows roads to be closed for a brief period in the morning and afternoon so children can get to school more safely. However, the road at Broadway is said to be too busy and therefore does not meet the criteria for the scheme – ruling that possible solution out.
A Derby City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the issues caused by vehicles parking close to St Mary’s Catholic School and have worked with the police and local ward councillors to carry out several parking operations on Broadway in the past, such as educating drivers about the impact of poor parking choices.
“Currently, there is a standard exemption in place that allows vehicles to be parked for the amount of time it takes for children to be handed to or collected from another responsible person.
“This exemption applies nationwide and whilst this does make enforcement difficult, we are working to minimise the problem in the area and are arranging for our Civil Enforcement team to conduct some additional patrols over the next few weeks.
“This area is not suitable for a School Safe Haven. However, we are open to working with the school to implement other measures.”
Kevin Gritton, chief executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust – which manages both schools – said: “Both schools issue regular reminders to parents to park considerately and safely when collecting their children, to use public transport and walk or cycle where possible.
“A drop-off and pick-up system is also in operation at St Mary’s, which is used by many parents and means they can drive on to the site to collect or drop off their children.
“In relation to the on-street parking problems, we have no legal power to enforce any action as we are not the enforcing authority. We are in contact with Derby City Council about the issue.”