Students and parents must pay to park at Wilmslow High School in a bid to make the grounds safer and generate money for the school.

The school has received a grant to put up barriers at both entrances and anyone wishing to use the car park will have to pay £1. Visitors and staff will park free.

Gill Bremner, headteacher, said the barriers were introduced ‘on health and safety grounds’ because too many drivers were using the car park as a rat-run between the A34 and Holly Road.

She said it was also a good way of raising funds for the school.

In a letter to students and parents posted on the school’s website, she said: "We do hope that the car park barriers will make the site safer for our students.

"Another advantage from implementing car park barriers is that we will be able to raise money for the school. In this first year we have decided to use the income to support transport for educational visits for all students across all curriculum areas. Last year we spent £40,000 on transport and while we had the money then through specialist schools funding we no longer have that level of support.

"But it is the safety of our students, parents, staff and community users that comes first; the income generation comes second."

However, the new charges, introduced on December 12, have already caused problems for residents living on nearby Leaside Way and Burnside Close.

They say inconsiderate motorists who don’t want to pay the fee are parking either side of their road, making it difficult for residents’ cars and emergency vehicles to get in and out.

One grandfather, who has grandchildren at the high school, said: "These roads have been inundated with students parking their cars up the pavements and right up to the junction.

"There’s no way an ambulance or other emergency vehicle could get through if it had to.

"A lot of residents are elderly and may need an ambulance or doctor.

"I have written a letter to the school and council complaining about this.

"None of us were consulted about it or asked how it might affect us."

Mrs Bremner said the car park barriers are for the car park only and that the entrance area from Holly Road will still be accessible to allow parents to drop off or pick up students, for deliveries and taxis.

Visitors will park in the visitors’ car park and staff still gain free access with use of a fob.

Mrs Bremner, who allows the car park to be used by Artisan Market traders in Wilmslow on every third Saturday, added: "The car park barrier will be down in the evenings and at weekends but raised at parents’ evenings, open evenings and other events.

"We know there will be initial teething problems while people get used to the system."