A row has broken out over parents using a village hall car park to drop their children off at school – with some being accused of a “blatant disregard for the safety of others”.

The committee of Wingham village hall says its 24-space private car park off School Lane is being used as an unauthorised stop-off for the neighbouring primary school at an “unprecedented” level, sparking chaos.

Parents argue it’s only for two brief periods at the start and end of the school day and the main road through the village has few spaces.

But the village hall committee say irresponsibly parked cars are blocking its entrance, making it difficult for its own users and potentially obstructing emergency vehicles. It says nearby residents are impacted too, and unable to access their own properties.

For years, signs indicating the car park is private and for hall users only have been displayed. But now the committee has erected bollards in a further bid to deter nuisance parking.

But the problem of where parents, many of whom come from surrounding villages, can drop off their children, remains.

In a post on their Facebook page, published on September 11, the committee shared photos of the crowded car park, and branded the situation “chaos”.

The statement went on: “The safety of children, residents and hall users is of paramount importance and these few examples demonstrate a blatant disregard for the safety of others with potentially life-threatening consequences.

“For example, pre-school children and hall users would have been unable to evacuate via the main door which opens outwards and emergency services would have difficulty accessing the site and reaching any casualties.”

Members say they are “actively researching alternative solutions” and have visited other schools to observe their methods of managing a safe and quick collection/drop-off system.

A meeting between the parties to try and thrash out a solution is now being organised.

This week, a village hall committee spokesman said: “This has been an ongoing priority. The VH committee are keen to reach a resolution to suit all parties, maintaining the safety of all using the site be they children, hall hirers, members of the public and residents.”

Wingham Primary School declined to comment on the issue when approached.

On the school’s website, the head teacher thanks parents for their consideration around its own car park and “the ongoing challenges we face as a school community with the local residents’ concerns”.

They add: “We have seen many of you parking further afield and walking into school. We know this is also a challenge due to the parking restrictions around the town.

“Please continue to be mindful of pedestrian safety, parking markings and only using the car park to park for collections as near to pick up as possible.”

The situation has sparked a heated debate on the village’s Facebook pages.

‘The safety of children, residents and hall users is of paramount importance...’

“I’m personally on the side of the village hall,” wrote one contributor, who believed the “offenders” should be given parking tickets.

“Everybody knows that the school-run people are an absolute nightmare. They park where they like without a care for motorists or safety. They park on blind bends They park on the zigzags outside the school.

“This is private property – that’s the real point here. I would issue parking tickets and hire a parking company.”

However, one mother says she can’t see what the problem is and it’s the only safe choice.

“It’s a 30-minute window we need to use this car park. We aren’t there all day and I really don’t see the issue,” she says.

“We come in and we come out with no problems 99% of the time. Yes, it causes traffic but for a tiny proportion of the day.

She finished: “You cannot stop us from coming into this car park and, until a safer alternative is in place, parents and myself will continue using it.”