SCHOOL parking chaos is an 'accident waiting to happen', a concerned councillor has said.

Cllr Glenn Harrison is concerned about long-standing parking problems outside West End Primary School in Aspen Lane, Oswaldtwistle.

He said that a minority of parents have been parking on zig zag and double yellow lines and has now called on Lancashire County Council to take action on the issue.

Cllr Harrison, who is a governor at the school and represents the St Oswalds ward on Hyndburn Council, said: "It's been a problem for years and you get a minority of parents who park where they wish ignoring the restrictions.

"They park on zig zag and double yellow lines, ignoring markings telling them to keep clear and a sign saying no stopping on entrance markings.

"The problem is worse when people are picking children up from school.

"You get parents who will park across driveways and on pavements and this is a real issue for people trying to get to work.

"There are also safety issues as older children are having to go on the road to cross if they're walking to school.

"It's causing chaos and is an accident waiting to happen."

Mr Harrison now wants the county council to carry out work to paint over the road markings outside the school and properly enforce the area with parking wardens.

He added: "I don't understand why this wasn't done during the summer holidays, but at least if the road markings are repainted, and the area is properly enforced with wardens, motorists would have no excuse."

James McBride, headteacher of the school, said it was aware of the issue.

He said: "This is an absolutely perennial issue for me.

"Aspen Lane is very narrow and you do get a minority of parents who choose to ignore these restrictions.

"Letters have been sent out warning them and we remind parents in newsletters also, but we'd welcome any extra enforcement from the council and any steps to make the road markings and signs clearer."

The county council said work to renew the road markings will take place and will take six to eight weeks to complete.

A spokesman said: "We can't find any record of this issue being reported previously, but have placed an order for the relevant markings to be renewed.

"We're grateful for people contacting us if they have specific concerns about parking issues in particular locations to help us prioritise enforcement.

"We carry out enforcement at every school in Lancashire at least once a year to deter poor parking."