A Yeadon man who brings his children to Menston Primary School has criticised school chiefs and area residents for being narrow-minded in regards to parking issues.

Darren Cavanagh, a former Ilkley resident who has one son and twin daughters who attend the primary school, said: "It's a wonderful school in a lovely area of Yorkshire, but they should provide more parking so people could get their children to school safely."

Mr Cavanagh said his wife Emma usually drops the children off in the morning and that she often has to drive around the school for 10 minutes before she can let them off. He picks the children up in the afternoon and finds parking just as difficult, which he said is why they park on the zigzag lines outside the school.

He said: "I feel absolutely appalled by all the narrow-mindedness of the school chiefs and the residents over the road from the school.

"Parking has always been an issue in the school yet they tend to build and build and build, instead of trying to establish a parking area for the school.

"Why didn't the school try and buy the land opposite (St Peter's Way development) that new homes are currently being built on, thus providing a parking area for parents who do not live close enough?"

Mr Cavanagh was upset that thousands of pounds were spent to build a new school building, but the parking issue was not addressed.

He said: "What's the point of that when the main priority is always going to be parking?

"There's hardly a week passes that the school doesn't ask for money of some denomination, so why they don't help with the parking situation is a joke."

Mr Cavanagh also noted that the zigzag lines, especially those on St Peter's Way, are hardly visible. He said all the lines, even those on Main Street need to be re-marked.

He also was critical of the police saying they are "as much use as a chocolate fire guard."

"Instead of trying to get parking on hardly visible lines, they should be out catching criminals," said Mr Cavanagh.

Mr Cavanagh said while the police urge people not to park on zigzag lines, he wondered why "HGV lorries are allowed to use the road and block it at times when it is inconvenient."

He said a request should be made to the St Peter's Way development firm to keep their machines away from the road during drop off and pick up times.

Mr Cavanagh also said it would be "inappropriate" to expect parents from outside Menston to park further away from the school and ask them walk their children to school, as he indicated it would be hard to keep three children under control in such circumstances.

He said to help alleviate the problem, parents from outside Menston could be given parking passes and that parents living in village could walk their children to school and leave their car at home.

Mr Cavanagh also was annoyed by complaints from residents living near the school.

He said: "The residents have to face the facts that if they live near a school, especially a primary school, there is going to be traffic and noise with children.

"It's unfair of these residents to constantly complain about anything and everything, if they are that upset they still live there as I'd move."