Confused and frustrated parents who stopped briefly in an empty layby to drop off and pick up their children at school have been fined.

An unused concrete area off to the side of Drakes Way, around the corner from the entrance to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, has become a popular spot for people during the school run.

The lane used to be a slip road that connected a narrow residential street to the three-lane carriageway, but an obstacle now blocks that connection so no traffic can flow along it.

Anyone pausing there at the start or end of the school day runs the risk of receiving a hefty fine.

Swindon Advertiser: A former slip-road on Drakes Way is being used by parents on the school runA former slip-road on Drakes Way is being used by parents on the school run (Image: From public)

Vinbert Pereira contacted the Adver after his wife fell victim to the penalty charge.

The 39-year-old said: "It gets very busy near the school and there is nowhere else for us to park nearby, so this could be used as a proper drop-off and pick-up point. 

"When parents park outside the houses off Drakes Way, the people living there come out and shout at them, which is fair enough because they are blocking the driveways.

"This lay-by has nothing on it or near it to indicate that you cannot park there, and it's safely out of the way of the traffic, but if you stop even for just five minutes, the wardens are there right away, it's totally unfair.

"When my wife appealed her fine, they sent us a photo of a sign that is not there."

Swindon Advertiser: The no parking sign on Bromley Close, off Queens DriveThe no parking sign on Bromley Close, off Queens Drive (Image: Newsquest)

The 'no parking at any time' sign photographed by the parking enforcement officer is situated on the Bromley Close turning off Queens Drive just after a separate junction on Drakes Roundabout, and is not visible from the spot where people are dropping off their children.

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “We don’t comment on individual parking charge notices.

"If there is an issue, this should go through the appeals process set out on our website.

“If the resident is still unhappy with the outcome, there are further steps they can take which will have been outlined to them in the response.

“Drakes Way is a clearway, meaning cars are not legally allowed to park on it at any time.

"We’re reviewing the road to make sure the signage is clear and consistent for motorists.”