PARKING wardens must clamp down on parents leaving their engines idling and driving dangerously outside a secondary school, a senior councillor has claimed.

Paul Collins, Southend Lib Dem leader, has criticised the parking and driving of parents at the Eastwood Academy, in Rayleigh Road, which he fears is putting school children at risk.

A frustrated parent, whose “child was almost struck by a vehicle outside the school”, invited Mr Collins to visit the school and the councillor has now raised concerns and urged Southend Council to act.

He wants to see enforcement officers to tackle poor parking and dish out fines if necessary.

Mr Collins said: “We have civil enforcement officers going around Southend as traffic wardens, they go around, and we have 53 schools.

“We only have three to four of them, I am looking to ramp this up with more officers.

“People sit in their cars and wait and just go off, it is very difficult.

“They must be stationary for three minutes, so people do just drive off when they see a white-helmeted man on a scooter.

“It is frustrating, and this causes an inconvenience, it is really bad, people do not understand they put others at risk.”

Mr Collins highlighted a car park on Snakes Lane, just a five-minute walk away with free parking, presenting an option for parents to avoid parking on the streets and walking down to collect their children.

Concerns have been raised by other Eastwood councillors regarding Rayleigh Road, with fellow Lib Dem councillor Robert McMullan previously calling for CCTV coverage to deter poor parking practises.

Mr Collins added: “We have a very specific problem here because it is dangerous, Rayleigh Road is busy and that is what I will be saying to the council office.

“The crossing is used by the primary school and the high school children, everyone walks out at the same time, there are a lot of cars, and it is busy.

“Community safety is my role and I take it seriously.”

Eastwood Academy has been contacted for comment.