POLICE have been called in to crackdown on “illegal and dangerous parking” outside a Billericay school, with multiple near-misses reported by parents.

The Billericay and Wickford community police team has been carrying out patrols during drop-off and pick-up time at Quilters Junior School in Laindon Road.

Headteacher Michael Wade admitted the issue has been going on for “at least a year”, with poor parking resulting in reduced visibility and near-misses by drivers.

Long lengths of the road are covered by yellow zigzag lines, meaning parking is prohibited at all times.

Mr Wade said: “Where people are parking on the kerb it is affecting visibility for other drivers and for children and parents.

“If someone is on the kerb outside the school, you haven’t got line of sight down the road, so a driver would have no reaction time should a child, God forbid, step out into the road.”

He added: “Occasionally parents have bumped up the kerb onto the pavement, and other parents have reported to me ‘near-misses’ where drivers have not seen children whizzing along on a scooter or even just walking on the pavement.”

Police set up units on the road last Thursday without informing the school; however Mr Wade says his team are in constant communicant with officers and have handed out a police email address for parents to report illegal parking.

“We have written to parents and asked them to be mindful and respectful of parking on the main road,” Mr Wade said.

He added: “Parents suggest to me there has been an improvement in recent months, but there is obviously still work to be done if the police are taking an active stance on it.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “On the morning of May 19 officers from the Billericay and Wickford Community Policing Team attended Quilters School following numerous reports of illegal and dangerous parking at school drop off and collection times.

“These measures are put in place for your and your children’s safety. Please park responsibly.”