RESIDENTS of two streets on either side of a popular primary school are locked in a fierce battle over plans to move the school’s main entrance.

Parking disputes have become so heated outside Hardy Mill Primary School in Belmont View, Harwood, that the police have been called in to deal with them.

Now Bolton Council is hoping to solve the problem by moving the school’s main entrance to Hardy Mill Road.

The plans were due to be decided by the council’s planning committee today — but they have been met with a fresh wave of opposition from residents near the proposed new entrance.

The scheme is combined with plans to expand the school by 15 pupils in every year group, which residents in both streets agree will make the parking situation worse. Residents in Belmont View say they have been campaigning for years for the council to solve the parking problems outside the school gates.

They say parents regularly block their driveways then shout and swear at them when asked to move their cars.

Residents in Hardy Mill Road say that moving the entrance will just shift the problems into their street and cause a massive safety hazard because it is a much busier road.

Leah Scott, of Belmont View, said: “Shut these gates to the parents and children — that’s the answer.

“It’s a safety problem here. If we need an ambulance or fire engine at 3.30pm then it’s tough luck.”

Unrelated neighbour Edna Scott, aged 72, of Belmont View, said there was no safety problem in Hardy Mill Road.

She said: “They should move the entrance — that’s what we’ve said all along.

“People just park anywhere, especially in this weather.

Then they swear at you when you ask them to move. It’s disgusting.”

A group of Hardy Mill Road residents have drummed up a 200 signature petition against the move and were planning to demonstrate in front of planning committee members today.

Trish Ashworth said: “It’s dangerous, it’s stupid and it’s ill-thought.

“All it means is that children are going to be stepping into the road when there’s already safe, accident-free access from Belmont View.”

No one from the school was available to comment.