Children who are getting picked up or dropped off at Holley Park School in Ayton Road, Washington, are climbing out of cars on to the busy road.
This was the claim of Councillor Kathryn Chamberlin who presented Sunderland City Council with a petition calling for parking facilities, which attracted 594 signatures.

The Conservative councillor for Washington South said: "I have been down there and seen the situation for myself, parking there for a week and monitoring the traffic morning and night.

"The kids were getting out of the passenger side into the middle of the road and cars were having to swerve around kids and doors so they didn't hit them."

Coun Chamberlin estimated as many as 50 to 70 cars park along the half-mile stretch of road outside the school, which links the A1288 Washington Highway and the A195.

She said they were mainly on the school side but they are often double parked, reducing the busy road to a single lane.

Petition leader Fred Godfrey, 54, of Glenshiel Close, Washington, started collecting signatures about 18 months ago.

He said: "I would like someone to do something before someone gets hurt, to be proactive rather than reactive.

"There have been incidents there in the past but not for the last two years, so they'll tell you it's not a problem area, but it's an accident waiting to happen."

Parents doing the school run and people living nearby would like the school to use the space they have in their grounds to come up with a parking solution.

Coun Chamberlin suggested either a car park, a lay by for people to pull into or a turning point could be provided to ease the congestion.

Phil Barrett, director of development and regeneration, said: "The petition in question was received by the relevant department on Monday, June 30, and is currently being considered.

"We will be liaising with all relevant parties but until the matter is investigated it is not possible to make further comment."