Council is exploring options to help streamline pick-up times around the city and prevent trucks and cars driving on the wrong side of the road in school zones.
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The southern end of Lords Place has become especially difficult for drivers around Anson Street School, with parents unable to enter the school to pick up students due to coronavirus restrictions.
This means they have to line up in cars to enter the carpark off Lords Place, which effectively blocks the road from 2.30pm onwards.
Grandparent Trudy Murray, who picks her grand-daughter up from the school most days, said the issue wasn't caused by the school, with teachers "doing the best they can" to follow procedure and keep students safe.
She said at times it was "a nightmare".
Mrs Murray was also concerned by seeing council parking inspectors at pick-up time, and was worried parents and carers would be booked while trying to pick up children.
Orange City Council communications officer Allan Reeder said changes to pick-up policies had meant "there are queues of cars waiting" in streets across Orange.
"Some schools are better-placed than others to find alternative off-street parking areas," Mr Reeder said.
He said businesses had raised concerns about traffic on Lords Place forcing them to drive on the wrong side of the road, but Mr Reeder said no parents had been fined or issued warnings so far.
He said parking rangers "kept a high profile" while telling parents to be aware of the problem, but "no warnings were issued and no one was fined".
"The aim is to see if parents can make use of a nearby parking area to wait their turn off the street, before driving down to the school in turn," he said.
However, he warned drivers to be "extra careful and not double-park near schools".
He said council was in discussion with the school and with businesses along Lords Place to improve the flow of traffic.
A Department of Education spokesperson said the school was aware of problems around traffic flowing through the school, and was working with council to rectify the situation.
"The school is working with the council on possible solutions identifying areas that could also be used to safely unload and load students who have special needs," they said.
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Max Stainkamph
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
