“It’s a disaster really…people are fed up with it all”

A variety of initiatives have been introduced in recent years to encourage parents and children to walk or cycle to school. But despite the campaigns and the colourful banners urging us to ‘ditch the car;, the reality is that for most families, the car remains the only practical option.

The morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up have become part of the rhythm of school life – and with them, the growing problem of congestion. Each morning and afternoon, the parking chaos is clear outside many schools. But in the Lammy area of Omagh, beside St Conor’s Primary School, those problems have reached breaking point.

I visited the area on Tuesday afternoon and saw first-hand the situation facing parents, pupils, and local residents.

There was barely enough room for two buses to pass, while parents stood off the road waiting for their children.

Cars were parked nose-to-tail along both sides of the road and throughout the nearby Lammy Walk.

Among them was Melissa Kim, who told me parents have little choice.

“This is now a serious child safety issue and our children are our top priority.

“We can do nothing else except park for as short a time as possible in Lammy and then walk up to get our children,” she said.

“But some of us have been verbally abused in front of our children, which is totally wrong. Some of the children have special educational needs, and others have two or three to collect. There’ve been suggestions that we should park further away and walk, but that’s simply not possible.”

Nearby resident and grandfather Noel McBrien said people have even started parking at the other end of the play park.

“I can see both sides – the parents and the residents – but something needs to be done. The traffic congestion around here in the morning and afternoon is crazy,” he told me.

Another parent, Sam McParland, described the situation as ‘madness’.

“It’s a nightmare to try and get through the traffic down here in the morning and afternoon. They need to develop the small area of ground beside the play park… that would definitely help.”

Margaret Maguire said the congestion each afternoon is intense.

“It’s a disaster really, and it would be far worse if the crossing ladies weren’t here helping out. Most of the cars are parents anyway,” she said.

“The way things are now can’t go on. People are fed up with it all.”

At the moment, the preferred solution seems to be developing a small parcel of land directly opposite the school, known locally as Todd’s Field.

It doesn’t look like much, but it’s now at the centre of ongoing discussions between two Stormont departments, local politicians and the school.

Everyone’s hope is the same: that something happens soon to finally solve one of Omagh’s most frustrating daily standstills.