WORRIED parents set up a picket line outside a primary school yesterday, to raise awareness of parking safely.

Mums and dads stood outside Haydon Wick Primary School with placards asking parents to park legally and try to walk to school.

The action was sparked after a three-year-old boy was hit by a car last week. Fortunately he was not hurt.

The group aims to get parents to stop driving to school and start walking.

Rachel Cleary, who has a seven-year-old child at the school, said: “We feel this will have an impact on the parents who drive and hopefully get our point across.

“Headteacher Simon Cowley has said he is happy for the group to take action as he has been trying for a number of years to get the parents to be considerate when parking.

“We also want to get the council to move on the safety zone before there is a tragedy.

“The school provides a breakfast club for parents to use from 8am, so there is no excuse that they have to rush for work and also the Haydon Wick Workingmen’s Club has agreed for the parents to use its car park.”

Simon said: “The school has been campaigning for a safety zone for six years.

“Swindon Council is currently in the consultation stage of agreeing plans for a safety zone.

“This will hopefully be agreed and the safety zone will be in place in the new financial year.

“The school constantly campaigns against inappropriate parking by a minority of parents.

“We have a five-minute walk zone in place, the school council regularly monitors traffic flow and has even used a radar gun to check the speed of cars.

“The school is very clear where parents can and cannot park, the local pub and workingmen’s club offer parking.

“I just wish the small minority of parents who park illegally respected the safety of the school community.

“I also feel for the residents who regularly have their driveways blocked by parents parking inappropriately.”

A petition has also been started to get the council to take action, particularly as the school, which is also the site of the Barn Owl Pre-School, is in the stage two selection group for a School Safety Zone.