A Bracknell school is restricting access to one of its car parks after a teacher was injured while trying to manage incoming traffic.
King’s Academy in Binfield wrote to parents this week informing that vehicle access via St George’s Park, which is used for the primary school, will be reduced from today (Wednesday, September 18).
The secondary school is accessed by Wood Lane, but some parents use the primary school entrance during peak hours.
The decision was made due to the incident, which left the member of staff ‘hurt’, as well as ‘the increasing number of cars and students’.
The letter said: “Unfortunately, the current volume of traffic has raised safety concerns for our students and families, and we must take action to ensure everybody’s safety.”
Those who drive were asked to use the Wood Lane car park or find alternative parking further from the school.
While school leaders noted ‘this many cause inconvenience’, they said that ‘safety of our students is our top priority’
Only those with a blue badge will be able to park by the primary school.
But parents have expressed concerns at the news – claiming that pedestrian and car management is already ‘poor’, for a school that has not reached full capacity.
David Luck, who’s son attends the primary school, told the News: “Absolute sympathy with them, but this is just going to make it worse.”
He added that while the school wants parents to walk their children to school the ‘pedestrian routes are dangerously inadequate’.
Mr Luck has written to Bracknell Forest Council and the school to raise issues with the decision. He noted that when planning permission was granted to Binfield Academy, the car park management plan said that the development ‘had to provide adequate car parking to prevent the likelihood of on-street car parking which would be a danger to other road users’.
Executive Principal Mrs K Moore said in a statement to the News: “As per the letter you have already seen, we are taking this action to support the safety of our school community.
“We will listen carefully to the feedback following our changes and work hard to find the best solutions for everyone.
“We will consult with Bracknell Forest Council and take advice from the police as we keep these arrangements under review along with continuing to support our community with sustainable transport options.”
Bracknell Forest Council was also approached to comment but said it was a ‘matter for the school’.
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