A HEADTEACHER is pleading with parents to park safely outside her primary school over fears a child could be badly injured.

Rogue parking has become so problematic outside Laindon Park Primary in Church Hill, Basildon, that police have begun patrolling the area during the school run to deter drivers from parking on pavements.

Residents, who claim similar problems exist outside the majority of Basildon schools, have urged parents to park sensibly.

Cristina Portoles is the headteacher of the school.

She said: “The complaint is from parents who are walking on the pavement, about cars trying to park on the pavement even when they’re walking there – it’s quite threatening.

“We’re all busy in the morning, but parking a few minutes down the road and walking the rest of the way isn’t the end of the world.

“We have to be sensible about this.

“Parents need to remember that it is their responsibility.

“It is the children who are at risk and they aren’t going to be looking out for cars, it is the parents’ responsibility.”

She wrote to parents in the school’s latest newsletter explaining police are monitoring the situation.

The police have called it “not acceptable” for people to put others at risk through poor driving.

A spokesman said: “It is vital everyone using the road network is doing so safely and particularly near a school.

“Pavements are for people and not vehicles.

“Parking is limited around schools, but it is not acceptable for people to be put at risk by poor driving.”

Ralph Morgan, a taxi driver of Sandon Road, in Basildon, described the problem as widespread and “chaotic.”

He said: “During the school run, it is not a good place. People are parking in dangerous positions on blind spots and parents are getting their children out of cars on the roadside, it’s chaotic.

“There is going to be a terrible accident if people don’t take more care.

“This is just one example through, these problems are occurring outside so many schools in south Essex.”

It comes after Rayleigh residents told Roger Hirst, Essex’s police and crime commissioner, at a public meeting they fear someone will be killed if motorists are not stopped from parking on pavements in Rayleigh.

Mr Hirst said each incident should be reported online so police can “build a picture” of what is happening.