"SELFISH" school-run mums and dads have been blasted for parking on residents' verges – and boasting that no one can stop them.

Locals in Tudor Road, Leicester have told of their fury after chaotic pick-ups resulted in grass torn up and traffic havoc in the street.

They say parents dropping off and collecting their children are causing a "nightmare" for people living nearby.

One told the Leicester Mercury: “A lot of people use the road as a shortcut, so traffic down here is historically a nightmare because it’s not resident parking, so you have people who work in town parking here.

"The traffic here is absolutely terrible.

“With this new academy opening, while I think it’s absolutely fantastic for the area, it just seems to have added more traffic.

“The issue that we’ve got here is where Tudor Road opens up, there’s a grassy area which is all double yellow parking and the parents have started parking on the grass verges.

'ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE'

“Some of the parents were quite enthusiastic about telling me there’s nothing anyone can do because they can’t get parking tickets for parking on the grass.

"If they’re parking on the path or the double yellow lines, they can.

“Now the weather is changing, it’s just horrible. With the colder, wetter weather arriving this has turned the once lush, green area into a muddy bog.”

And he said he fears for children's safety as drivers motor at speed along the stretch.

“Once they’ve collected their children, they just scream off at full-pelt," he said.

"With the kids who are walking home, it’s just an accident waiting to happen, I think.

“The school does have people on the gates, but once the kids are out of that area, a lot of them are running around.”

FEARS FOR CHILDREN

The school says parents should park at a nearby Tesco.

Headteacher, Tom Hague, told the paper: “We are aware that some local residents have raised concerns about parking, and we are working with parents to remind them to be courteous and respectful of the community when picking up and dropping off at school.

“We have our own designated drop-off facility in place as part of our new school, and have worked with the city council transport strategy team to both encourage walking and cycling to school as well as setting up a ‘park and stride’ scheme from the local Tesco store.

“We will continue to liaise with parents and work with all parties to ensure a sustainable resolution is reached.”

A city council spokesperson said: “We’re aware of some inconsiderate parking on the verges and pavements at the bottom of Tudor Road since the new school opened last summer.

Some of the parents were quite enthusiastic about telling me there’s nothing anyone can do

“Our parking team has been carrying out targeted enforcement activity, but some motorists persist in parking inconsiderately.

“We are working up designs at the moment for proposals to install rails and bollards which would physically prevent parking on verges and footpaths.

“Subject to the measures being approved and availability of the materials we need, work could get underway in the spring and would cost about £10,000.

“While we appreciate it’s not always possible, we would encourage people to walk, cycle or use public transport where they can – to minimise these issues and other issues caused by caused by school run traffic.”

Elsewhere, mums and dads are worried a child will die amid traffic jam "hell" on a school run in Nottingham.

Photos show a packed street outside St Augustine’s Catholic School.

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Local Par Kumaraswami, 57, said: "I'm always concerned about the safety of the kids when they go to school and we've got a nursery nearby as well." 

Another resident added: "The traffic is really bad because people are in a rush to get to school. 

"It must be hell for residents. A child will get hit one day."

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