Willie Pattullo, depot supervisor for Scottish Fuels in Fyfe Street, has spoken of the fears for the safety of children at Whitehills Primary School, with one near miss witnessed by his staff only last Thursday.

Problems for the depot, which has operated in Fyfe Street for over 30 years, began with the opening of the new build school in the spring of 2008.

With the business dealing with six daily deliveries on average, seven days a week, drivers have reported difficulties entering and leaving the depot.

As well as the company's own 28 feet long lorries, the depot is serviced by 57 feet long tankers transporting fuel from Grangemouth.

Tractor diesel, road diesel and central heating oils are all delivered and dispatched from the depot, and although Mr Pattullo appreciated parents have to park somewhere, they are causing congestion.

He told the Dispatch: "I know what like it is to have kids to pick up. If there is no room in the school they have to park somewhere.

"At the moment there are no restrictions where they are parking. They are quite legitimate but are causing congestion."

Closed off

Mr Pattullo stated Fyfe Street can be almost closed off at some points during the day with parked cars causing problems for the lorry drivers.

"We can have up to six big artics a day, sometimes more. We have to put out cones if the tankers are coming in at certain times of the day.

"We have spoken to our drivers and had a meeting about five or six weeks ago with council officials, road traffic police, school officials and a representative from Robertson Construction. They all agreed something had to be done.

"Our concern is for the safety of the children and our drivers when they are entering and exiting the depot.

"We are also concerned for the safety of pedestrians, more so the children going to the school.

"We saw it only yesterday (Thursday). A young boy was running past somebody on the pavement and ran onto the road, unaware a car was coming from behind. He was almost hit. Our prime interest is the safety of everybody in and around the school."

Drop-off

Mr Pattullo stated that, when the plans for the new school were discussed, the company was told there would be a drop off point and pick up point within the school grounds, which would be adequate to cope with the demand of parents.

However, the demand has outgrown the number of spaces.

Depot staff have also witnessed drivers parking their cars and leaving them outside the school all day.

"Parents have parked their cars, then disappeared. On one occasion when cars were left all day, we had to reverse a tanker out across Market Street."

The problems experienced by the tanker drivers were raised at last month's meeting of Forfar Community Council, although they have been discussed at the community council on numerous occasions since the school opened.

Chairman Mrs Isobel Ross told the meeting the problem came to a head on October 19 when a bus was unable to access the school due to parked cars.

Appalling situation

She said: "This is an appalling situation. Parents have a blatant disregard for the safety of children and other people. I take my hat off to people up there.

"The whole set up since day one is abysmal because of people parking irresponsibly."

Councillor Bill Middleton informed the meeting plans were being put in place by the council to introduce no waiting restrictions, which were approved at a meeting of Angus Council's infrastructure services committee on November 24.

Councillor Middleton stated: "Lorry drivers can't get access to the depot in Fyfe Street because of parked cars and children being dropped off. It is causing so many problems that the council is putting in no waiting restrictions.

"The problem is more at night when parents want to get a parking place. They can park for up to 20 minutes, with some arriving as early as 2.30 pm for the school coming out at 3.10 pm.

Forfar Councillor Glennis Middleton stated parents can park their cars for up to 20 minutes when they are waiting on their children, "causing traffic jams and all sorts of difficulties."

In his report which went to committee, Eric Lowson, director of infrastructure service committee said concerns had been raised by Scottish Fuels regarding access to their premises in Fyfe Street.

He said: "On street parking by parents waiting to pick up and drop off children at the nearby primary school severely restricts access and egress to the oil depot, particularly for large delivery vehicles.

"In order therefore to improve the situation in this area it is proposed to introduce additional 'no daytime' waiting restrictions which will still permit residents to park overnight."