People trying to get to various sporting activities at two schools and a leisure centre are calling for a solution to “utterly awful” traffic problems.

Those driving into the sports complex entrance shared by Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys and St Gregory’s Catholic School off St John’s Road in Tunbridge Wells say it is often clogged with vehicles and has grown worse over the past few months.

Tunbridge Wells council and schools say they are “working together” with the leisure centre operator, Fusion Lifestyle, to improve the situation, which has led to some people sitting in traffic for up to 20 minutes with some missing their sporting activities altogether.

One person impacted by the situation is Lucy Mappley who plays netball at the sports hall every Monday evening. She says the lack of parking or clear route around the site causes delays.

The sheer volume of people parking in the leisure centre means that on one occasion, although she arrived at 7.05pm she could not get parked and into the hall until 7.18pm.

She said: “This meant I missed the game because it started at 7.10pm. I also had a tournament at midday on Sunday and my whole team was late by around 10-15 minutes.”

The netball player says the issue has become a bigger problem in the last three to four months and thinks volunteer traffic wardens may be helpful.

She added: “Getting in there is the absolute worst, and everyone looks angry, me included, as I hate being late.”

Julian Eaves is a retired English teacher who has witnessed the problems created by the access issues along St John’s Road and is worried about safety when pupils “pour out” the school when dismissed.

The 62-year-old said: “No adequate solution has yet been found. When I reported it to senior management at all of those schools, I would just receive the blanket response ‘we have a plan’.

“There are certain times when there is a surge in children running amok and creating all sorts of mayhem.

“The status quo is inadequate to improve the situation; it barely contains it.”

It comes as plans to bring in one-way streets and close some roads in the St James’ and St John’s areas were dropped after public feedback in response to the council’s Better Streets programme.

Julian also pointed out that the schools have been expanded but with “no change in terms of the access arrangements” and that proposals to stagger dismissal times won’t improve the situation if the transport itself all leaves in a “very specific” time window.

Addressing the access issue at the sports centre, he said: “One thing I’ve learnt is to avoid it at certain busy times of the day because of the difficulties getting in and out.

“It’s absolutely crazy.”

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, says she faces a similar problem every Tuesday and Thursday when taking her sons to play football on the 3G pitches which St Gregory’s Catholic School hires out.

She said: “It’s an utterly awful situation twice a week. We try and lift share where we can but it’s not always possible.”

A spokesperson for Tunbridge Wells council said councillors Justin Rutland (Lib Dem) and Peter Lidstone (Lib Dem), as well as council officers, met with head teachers of the schools and leisure centre management.

The spokesperson said: “All agreed to work together to try to resolve the traffic issues. Among the solutions to be explored are staggering the finish times of activities and improving pedestrian access to the sites.”

Lib Dem Councillor for St John's, Peter Lidstone, told KentOnline the meeting had resulted in a number of actions, including timetable sharing between the schools and sports centre to avoid clashes where possible.

He added: “We are also engaging with Kent County Council on the access issues and whether pinch points can be removed, and safe pedestrian access provided to the sports facilities.”

However, operational decisions regarding access to school premises are made by schools and not Kent County Council, which is in charge of highways.

St Gregory’s Catholic School head teacher, Mike Wilson, said he understood concerns about traffic flow at the shared entrance but said he was working with the main hirers of its 3G pitch to provide alternative parking via the Reynolds Lane entrance to “ease congestion”.

He said: “Keeping our pupils, parents, staff and the public safe is our priority. A recent health and safety review identified a risk to people entering the school and pedestrians on the public footpath.

“We have to prioritise safety, and these changes are about keeping our pupils and the wider public safe.

“We are actively working with local councillors, Fusion Lifestyle, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys and those who hire our facilities to explore further solutions to ease congestion without compromising safety, including amending the timing of activities on the three sites.”

Tunbridge Wells sports centre includes a modern gym, indoor cycling area, refurbished swimming pools, as well as four indoor tennis courts, three glass-backed squash courts and two sports halls which facilitate basketball, trampolining, badminton, table tennis and football.

Operator Fusion Lifestyle was asked for a comment.