Angry Trim parents slam council 'heavy-handedness'

Parents who parked along the Summerhill Road in Trim while they dropped their children for their first day back at school this week have reacted angrily after returning to find tickets on their cars for parking on double yellow lines. With limited parking available at St Mary's NS and St Michael's NS, some parents parked on double yellow lines as they dropped their children to school on Monday, saying there had been no problem with this arrangement last year. On Monday, a number of parents were shocked and angry to find they had received parking tickets and said there was no warning that they could no longer park there at school time. However, Trim Town Clerk Brian Murphy said cars were parked on double yellow lines on both sides of the road and some entrances to houses were partially or fully blocked. He said it was "nigh on impossible" to get up the Summerhill Road as a result and that the situation was "rather dangerous". He also pointed out that the council had made the council car park available during school times for parents to park. Richard Walsh, from Rathnally, who was taking his son to his first day at school and received a parking ticket said he felt it was "heavy-handed" of the council given that it was the first day back at school. He said: "We couldn't get parking in the car park at St Mary's so we drove around 200 yards away and parked on the Summerhill Road near the council offices. There were a lot of tears between the children and the mammies for the first day and, when we returned, about 10 cars had been ticketed. I thought it was very heavy-handed, given the day that was in it." Mr Walsh said that, as far as he could see, there were no entrances blocked. Karen Dempsey, Dublin Road, whose two daughters attend St Mary's, said: "I was absolutely raging. It was the first morning back and we weren't given any notice that you can't park there. Last year, we parked there and there was no problem. If the school had told us not to park there, we wouldn't and, from now on, I won't park there." Ms Dempsey said there is no proper parking at the school car park, and that there is not enough spaces. She said the spaces at the church are taken up because there is Mass at 9.30am. "It's anxious enough being the first day back; the last thing you need is a ticket on top of everything," she added. Ms Dempsey added parents were not aware that they could have parked in the town council car park. Sharon Colgan was dropping her son, Kevin, to school. She said: "It was difficult getting him into school and he was crying and upset, and then to come out and see this on your car. A good lot of the parents were upset." Concepta O'Rafferty said she would never usually park on the Summerhill Road and would just drop her daughter off at the school, but her daughter had two heavy bags of books and she parked nearby and was helping her carry them. "I was parked on double yellow lines but, every other year, the parking restrictions were relaxed because of the school, though I never used it. I know you are not supposed to park on yellow lines, but it was not a problem last year," she said. Ms O'Rafferty said children returning to school was an expensive enough time and she felt it was a dreadful thing to do without warning. "Parents have enough expenses sending their children back to school between books, uniforms, computer fees and different fees. I thought it was lousy of the town council." Grainne McKeown from the Dublin Road, has eight year old twins - a boy and a girl - and said that one started back in St Michael's and the other in St Mary's and it was the first time they had been separated. "I parked on the Summerhill Road and made sure I was not in a gateway. When I came out, the warden was just after leaving a ticket. I asked why and said that it was alright last year and he said he was instructed by the town clerk to give tickets." Town Clerk Brian Murphy said cars were "parked on double yellow lines....on both sides of the road". He said the situation was "rather dangerous" and pointed out that the council had made the car park at their offices available at school times. A trial for this parking arrangement took place one day per week last term and was due to be fully operational this term. Mr Murphy said he wrote to the principal on Monday to remind parents that the council car park was available. He said the council had been working with the Green Schools committee to encourage people to walk to school. He added that if parents continued to park on the double yellow lines, there was no way they could continue to facilitate the Green Schools programme and the car parking. "It was nigh on impossible to come up the Summerhill Road. Usually, you might get a couple of cars parking along the road, but I have never seen that many," he said, adding that those who received parking tickets are entitled to appeal the fine.