'My carers can't get to my house' - Frustration grows over 'selfish' parking on busy road
Kirklees Council has pledged to tackle “selfish” parking along a key commuter road during pick-up times following residents’ growing frustrations.
Windmill Lane, in Batley, is the key access road to two schools, less than a two-minute walk apart, with parents of children at Batley Girls’ High School and Windmill Primary School using the route to collect their children.
Yet for locals living opposite the schools, the road has continued to attract “dangerous” levels of traffic, with residents finally “fed up” with the onslaught caused by school-time pick-ups.
Ian Martin, 56, who lives across the road from the all-girls school said although he doesn’t drive, his carer often cannot access his house during school pick-up hours due to parents’ parking.
Ian said: “It’s not too bad in the mornings, but in the afternoon, it’s especially difficult. People are parking at 2pm just to get a space. It means my carers can’t park outside my house sometimes, which is really frustrating. We are all fed up.”
His neighbour, 76-year-old Jeff Knowles, also claimed the parking situation was “disgusting”, and said he had been forced to ask parents temporarily parking in his wife’s disabled bay to “move on” on more than one occasion.
Mr Knowles said: “The council occasionally sends traffic wardens in to manage all the bad parking, but they only come round every so often, so people don’t take them seriously.”
He said he had lived on the road for 12 years, and it had steadily “gotten worse”.
He added: “It’s really hard to park – particularly with the girls’ school – because people are commuting out of catchment, so there are always loads of cars.”
The “selfish parking” has since been flagged by Conservative Kirklees Councillors, who have launched a motion for the next council meeting on July 15, calling for consideration of targeting the “persistent concerns” of residents across Kirklees regarding “dangerous parking”.
Leading the motion, Councillor Joshua Sheard said he was “sick” of seeing “dangerous and selfish parking becoming the norm” across Kirklees.
Coun Sheard said: “Every day we’re seeing cars dumped on pavements, parked on school zig-zags, blocking pedestrian crossings, obstructing driveways, and causing chaos outside our schools.”
The motion specifically calls on Kirklees Council to consider prevention measures in poor-parking hotspots, such as Windmill Lane, including tougher enforcement, greater use of cameras in areas with persistent problems, and better protection for pedestrians and School Crossing Patrol staff.
Coun Sheard said: “The excuses are always the same – ‘I’ll only be two minutes’ – but those two minutes could cost a child their life…”The rules exist to protect people, and if they’re not enforced, they become meaningless…
"This isn’t an attack on motorists. It’s about standing up for the law-abiding majority who are fed up with seeing the same dangerous driving day in, day out.”
Kirklees Council has said road safety is its “priority” and has pledged a commitment to “making roads safer.”
David Shepherd, executive director for place at the council, said: “We’re sorry to hear about the issues some residents have experienced on Windmill Lane due to parking at peak times.
“Council officers have been along to speak with drivers about safe parking, especially at busy drop-off and pick-up times, and will enforce fixed penalty notices where appropriate.
“Road safety is our priority, and we’re committed to our Vision Zero pledge of making our roads safer. Officers continue to work with schools, children, and parents across Kirklees, delivering educational sessions on road safety, promoting responsible behaviours, and highlighting different travel options like walking, wheeling, and cycling.”