A THREE-year-old boy was knocked off his balance-bike by a car parked on the pavement – prompting calls for better parking enforcement around Long Lawford Primary School.
Little Dominic Steed was sent flying into a hedge on the narrow Townsend Lane when a motorist drove past him and his dad Jonathan, parked on the pavement, and swung open the door.
Mum Natalie told The Observer it was an accident waiting to happen.
She said: “Dominic was shaken and distraught.
“It was luck that there was no serious injury, just bruising. If he hadn’t been on his balance bike, that door would have hit him in the face and caused a serious head injury.”
She said illegal parking around the school was an ongoing problem.
“You can’t walk alongside your child on the pavement because it’s not wide enough when cars are parked on it.
“There are plans to expand the school for an additional 200 children, so it’s only going to get worse.
“Many locals are concerned about this but neither the school, council nor the police are addressing it.
“No action has been taken against anyone breaking the law and people obviously feel they can get away with it.”
She called on police to attend the school on a regular basis and issue tickets, and Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to put up railings and a zebra crossing.
A police spokesperson for the Rugby Safer Neighbourhood Team said they were aware of the incident, and were doing their utmost to prevent inconsiderate parking.
They said: “Issuing tickets and warnings where vehicles are parked inappropriately outside schools is entirely down to police discretion, but if we see vehicles causing a problem, we will endeavour to take the appropriate action.
“We will continue to work with partners including local schools, Rugby Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council in a bid to address schools across the borough where parking causes issues.
“We would also urge parents and carers to be considerate of where they park so as to ensure the safety of road users and schoolchildren.”
A WCC spokesperson said it was unfortunately a common problem.
They added: “WCC has many initiatives in place, the most effective being road safety education.
“The council offers a range of services for schools which have proven to be successful. Any schools interested should contact [email protected]“
