Residents back head's plea on Staindrop Primary School parking

Parents are being asked to do “the right thing” and refrain from parking on residents’ property when visiting a dale primary school.
The call comes after the headteacher of Staindrop Primary School, Steve Whelerton, urged a minority of parents to think about where they park following yet another near miss involving a child.
The incident happened on Swan Wynd last month and was due to some parents parking in the residents-only parking bays behind the former Black Swan Pub.
Instead of using the correct exit, drivers have been cutting across the bordering footpath,  which is used by parents and their children as they walk to and from school.
Mr Whelerton aimed to raise the profile of the school’s own walking zone, which offers information about safe places to park in the village and walking directions.
Resident Paul Fenner, who lives in the cottages, believes that parents should follow Mr Whelerton’s approach.
Mr Fenner said: “They are causing annoyance and inconvenience and an additional risk to the majority of responsible parents and children due to the extra vehicle movements they are creating in what is a very narrow wynd.
“In relation to the small minority of parents who use the residents’ parking spaces – as well as the obvious risk to the children and the sensible parents who do the right thing by following the headmaster’s approach to the safety of the children.
“May we the residents of the cottages at the back of the old pub point out that this is our property and we wonder how the parents using our parking spaces would feel if someone used their driveway twice a day and in the evening when visiting the school for parents evenings, concerts and the school fair?”
A suggestion was made by the school to have bollards installed to prevent such  “dangerous” parking.
Durham County Council was approached about the situation and discussions are believed to be ongoing in order to resolve the issue.
Mr Fenner said: “It is annoying when the minority of parents use what is our property for parking.
“Each of the newly converted cottages has these spaces on the deeds and it is in effect our drive which when we arrive from work is being used for unauthorised and unnecessary parking.
“All the residents that use the wynd do so with consideration of parents and children at school times.
“It is a great shame that some parents are not as courteous and think themselves so important that the rules don’t apply to them.
“The priority has to be the safety of the children.”