Parking row erupts over tickets handed out while parents watched school sports day

Spectators parked in an allocated space in Claypath Lane, South Shields, while they attended a sports day at St Bede’s RC School on Tuesday.

They came out to find six of them had been slapped with £50 parking fines - reduced to £25 if paid within 14 days.

The issue has added to long-running discontent over the parking restriction around the school - described as “ridiculous” by some parents.

Cars can only park in Claypath Lane for an hour and are unable to return within four.

In nearby Percy Street, there is a single yellow line but parking is not allowed between 10am and 2pm.

Mum Jodi Foord said: “The restrictions are ridiculous. There is no return within four hours, so if you have children in nursery, you drop them off at 8.45am but at 11.45am when you need to pick them up you could end up with a ticket.

“Then, if you also have children in the school, you go and pick them up ar 3.15pm and there’s the risk of another ticket.

“What happens if your child forgets their PE kit and you have to go home, or you have a meeting with the teacher?

“There are restrictions around the whole area. It’s not as though I can walk my kids to school. I live in Simonside.

“We are not parking here and going off to do our shopping in King Street, we are parking here for a reason.”

Jodi added: “It’s like we are being penalised for bringing our kids to school and for supporting them in their school activities.”

A spokesman for South Tyneside Council said: “There were six tickets issued on Monday in relation to overstaying in the limited bays in Claypath Lane.

“The enforcement of the area was part of the council’s daily patrols outside schools and in no way connected to the school’s sports day.

“The council introduced the time restrictions in the bays over five years ago to help address issues around double parking and inappropriate parking in Claypath Lane and to increase safety outside the school.

“The changes, which followed a public consultation, also included introducing double yellow lines where the road bends. The council also made the nearby St Hilda’s car park free to help support parents and carers.

“As well as St Hilda’s, there are other parking options in the Charlotte Street area – a short walk from the school.

“We would urge all drivers to observe the parking restrictions to help enhance safety in this area and to avoid receiving a Penalty Charge Notice.”

The school wished to make no comment on the matter