VIDEO: Grandad's despair as drivers mount pavements outside village primary school near Bedford

A grandad has spoken of his fears for children’s safety after seeing first hand the state of driving and parking near one primary school.

Each time Russell Mizon is able to walk his grandchildren to Sharnbrook Primary School in the High Street, he’s appalled at what he describes as a “complete disregard for safety”.

He said: “It regularly scares me to see how drivers are mounting the exceptionally narrow pavements to get past each other.

"Also there seems a complete disregard for safety as some park on the zigzag lines of the school crossing. Also none of them seem to be aware of the new Highway Code instructions that give priority to pedestrians crossing at road junctions.”

According to Highway Code Rule 243, you should not park near a school entrance.

And Russell is calling for the complete closure of the road to nonessential traffic during school start and finish times to alleviate the problem.

He added: “Just last week I photographed a van parked on the zigzag lines outside Sharnbrook Primary – while the driver wandered off to the convenience store – later he challenged me and suggested threatened violence if I were to use the photo as evidence.”

Russell has even videoed the driving to prove his point which you can view above.

He added: “These problems are most likely going to escalate as a 500-house development has apparently been agreed between the A6 and Mill Road, about half a mile from the school.”

Bedford Borough Council was dismayed at the news and vowed to send out patrols.

A council spokesman said: “The zebra crossing was installed to make this road safer for children and it was disappointing to learn that drivers are behaving in this way.

“We will be sending our parking services team to patrol this area over the next few weeks and will also ask Bedfordshire Police to carry out patrols and enforce against anyone seen driving over the footway.”