PARKING problems outside a school have become worse since a new policy was brought in stopping parents using the school grounds to pick up their children.

Parents of St John's school in Epping used to wait in the school car park, dropping off children in the morning and picking them up after school.

But headteacher George Yerosimou has now banned parents from using the school grounds, forcing them to all park in the street.

He said: “We are trying to maximise health and safety for the kids and we don't want to have cars coming on site when there are buses dropping off and picking up the kids. We want to make it even safer.”

But parents said that the problem has now moved to outside the school gates where a child could be in danger of getting hit.

A parent from Epping said: “I drove in every morning for the past six years and then this bloke decided to stop me and it caused chaos. He hasn't been there since and we haven't had any letters telling us not to park in the school. I said to this guy if I run someone over then it will be on your head.”

Lauren Bailey from Coopersale added: “It does create problems outside. There's nowhere else to park. It's difficult because there are so many buses that go in there that there's no room for parents. They need a bigger car park and then we could park safely.”

Beryl Billyeald who picks up her granddaughter said: “If everyone goes in when the buses are in there then it's ridiculous. I think it's a good idea not to let parents park in there otherwise there would be so much congestion. But there isn't anywhere else to go. A lot of parents are very bad at parking and there's one who parks on the zig zag yellow lines. It's so selfish. I try to keep out of the way.”

The increased congestion has not just caused problems for parents.

David Gardener, 22 lives along Tower Road and said it has become a nightmare.

He added: “It's used by commuters as well so everyone parks along here. A good half of there don't live along here. People can't park outside their own house.”

Scott Hartley, 35 said: “It's terrible. It's normally at about 3.30pm. There's no space. And the cars go too fast down here.”

Mr Yerosimou said parking outside the school was the responsibility of the parents.

He added: “We are responsible for the safety inside the school. Outside the school we want to support that but others have to take responsibility. I'm asking parents to drop off further down the road. They used to use the car park but we are asking that ten minutes before and after school not to come onto the site. If we allow them back onto the site then it becomes our issue to manage it.

"If we saw that we were creating tail backs in Tower Road and it was becoming dangerous then we would have to review it. But we are trying to manage our health and safety and have to make it safe on the school site.”