Dad steps up school roads campaign

8:51am Thursday 14th December 2006

Comments (4)   Have your say »

A NEWPORT father is stepping up his campaign against parents parking illegally outside his son's school.

Simon Powell wants to stop people parking on the yellow zig-zag lines outside Clytha Primary School on Bryngwyn Road.

Mr Powell, 42, fears children could be seriously hurt or killed crossing the busy road between the parked cars.

His campaign has seen him abused by other parents and even threatened by one man with an iron bar but now he is taking his fight to the internet.

Yesterday Mr Powell set up a website and messageboard on the Argus' CommuniGate website.

His Parents Against Illegal Parking site aims to help parents from across Gwent make parking outside their schools safe.

He wants to encourage other parents to tackle the problem at their schools.

Mr Powell said: "This is an issue everywhere, not just Clytha Primary. Hopefully I'll be able to shame people into being responsible."

Since we featured his story, Mr Powell said he had received much support.

He said: "Parents are coming up to say 'well done'. Some are even asking people to move their cars. Yesterday I had four mums standing with me outside the school gates.

"I expected some sort of reaction because it's become such an issue. It's the talk of the school."

More than 20 people posted comments about the story on our website, praising Mr Powell's fight.

One read: "The police or traffic wardens need to go around all schools and hand out on-the-spot fines and three points to people who park on yellow zig zags as they have been put there for their children's safety."

Steve from Cross Keys said: "Totally agree with the affirmative action that Mr Powell is taking. As I'm about to become a father this situation is just one that concerns me."

Newport council and Gwent police say they are looking into the matter.