Residents unable to access their homes have petitioned SDRC to get their road back

Residents who live along a narrow Warwick street claim a nearby school was given permission to use the road ahead of them.

Chloe Watts said the school didn't care about her issues.

After residents of a narrow street near Warwick’s CBD were unaware a school would be using the road for its drop-and-go, they took action, petitioning the Southern Downs Regional Council in hopes they would get their road back.

Acacia Ave resident Chloe Watts said while the road saw its share of congestion, it was when St Mary’s Catholic Primary School started using the street as a drop-off point that things really became an issue.

Ms Watts said on one occasion she was driving home and a parent’s vehicle was stopped in front of her driveway, blocking access.

“It’s just getting really ridiculous,” she said.

Ms Watts said the backlog on the two-way street was so bad she could only turn left off Wood St to get home.

Often heading home after picking up her daughter from a nearby childcare centre, she said travelling north up Acacia Ave was less convenient, but also made the drive more dangerous.

“The entrance to my driveway had previously been narrower, I had to go around to come in straight,” Ms Watts said.

“And there was one time when it was too hectic to go around and I had a bit of a prang in my car.”

When Ms Watts approached the school about her accident, she was unimpressed with their response.

“The only solution they had was to leave my car at St Mary’s Hall and to walk home,” she said.

“How am I meant to do that with a baby on my shoulder?”

Ms Watts said she then approached the school again, asking if they could find a different route for the dropzone.

“I felt like no matter what I said it was ‘nup, you’re wrong’,” she said.

The narrow street is causing multiple issues, residents claim.

Frustrated by the problem, Pat Ryan wrote to SDRC in March asking them to make changes to the school’s use of the narrow road.

When Ms Ryan’s suggestions were rejected, she formed a petition.

The petition was received by the council in their ordinary meeting on June 9.

“People didn’t know about the changes,” Ms Ryan said.

She knocked on residents’ doors, but was surprised they were unaware of the situation.

“There was no public consultation,” Ms Ryan said.

Ms Ryan said the petition outlined a number of solutions, including converting Acacia Ave into a one-way street, or closing it to traffic completely.

“People have to be able to access their home,” Ms Ryan said.

The street is part of the St Mary's College's stop-drop-and-go zones.

In a statement released in March from the Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools, executive director Dr Pat Coughlan said they were aware that some inconveniences may be caused, but worked with the SDRC to ensure they were minimised.

A spokeswoman from the SDRC said the council would undertake further investigations.

“A report will be repaired and presented at a councillor workshop session in due course,” the spokeswoman said.