I am forced to use wheelie bins to save parking space in front of my house after my road was blocked by mums at school

One author used wheelie bins to save a parking space in front of her house.

Helen Barrell says her road to Sandwell in the West Midlands is constantly jammed with parents running to school, leaving her with nowhere to stop.

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The 43-year-old said the nearby primary has no parking, meaning mums, dads and teachers block her street instead.

Helen, who has lived in her home for 12 years, said things had gotten so bad she had reserved a spot outside with her bins.

She told BirminghamLive: “The road I live in is right next to a primary school which has no staff parking so they all park on my road and other roads nearby .

“And when it’s time to go back and back to school, the parents are all trying to park on the street too.

“It’s a nightmare for residents because there’s simply nowhere to park.”

She said she first tried the wheelie bin method when she was having a window replaced.

“I couldn’t let the contractors carry it to the end of the road or it might be broken,” Helen said.

“And they needed to have access to their tools while they were working.

“It’s just something we all have to do once in a while.”

Author and librarian Helen, who lives with her partner and cat, has also complained about ‘rushed’ drivers coming down her street so fast she fears for her life.

She is now urgently asking the council to put in place a 20mph speed limit and a one-way system in the area.

“It seems crazy to me that a street so close to a school is not already 20 mph, but it seems that because no one has been mowed down and killed yet, it is not a priority,” said she declared.

“It seems appalling to me that we have to wait for someone to die before we do anything.”

A Sandwell Council spokesperson said: “Over the past few years Sandwell Council’s motorways team have worked hard to improve safety in the borough and investigate and implement road safety measures.

“All one-way requests in the borough are always thoroughly investigated, as they can have both advantages and disadvantages.

“The area around Gladys Road and Ethel Street is already being considered for a 20mph zone in the current year road safety works programmes.

“Sandwell Council is listening to local communities and will provide additional funding to consider a wider range of community requests for road safety measures this year.”

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