Parking warden punched by angry mum outside school

City transportation unit manager Phil Consedine said that the city's parking wardens were very rarely physically abused. Photo / APN

A parking warden was punched in the face by a mother outside a primary school after he was called to ask her to move her car from a private driveway.

Police were called to Hamilton West School after the attack.

Council parking wardens had been called after a Vaughan St resident complained a motorist had parked in the resident's driveway without permission.

In an email sent to councillors over the weekend, city transportation unit manager Phil Consedine said of the Thursday incident: "A female parent punched and hit the warden causing lacerations to the face."

He added to the Herald: "Out of the blue one of the ladies that was involved ... she waved her arms about and she did hit him, that's true."

She also yelled at the warden, he said.

The man was left with minor lacerations to his face but returned to work the next day. He had been in the area to observe and to help manage the traffic congestion but had acted professionally and not retaliated when he was assaulted, Mr Consedine said.

"We can't disclose what he [parking warden] said at this point because it's really in the hands of police."

The council did not know what had aggravated the woman but were working with police who took statements from witnesses including two other wardens. Spokesman Tony Sasso confirmed police had attended.

Hamilton West School principal Mark Penman did not respond to Herald inquiries.

Streets around the school were full with cars belonging to people visiting Waikato Hospital making it hard for parents to park, but there are restricted parking areas and a pick-up and drop-off zone within the school's boundaries.

The council regularly discussed ideas to reduce congestion in the area, including school walking buses.

However, Mr Consedine said the school and parents hadn't been too receptive about recent initiatives raised by the council including parking at the Pak'n Save supermarket in Clarence St and walking from there.

The council planned to discuss other options with the school at the start of the next school term.

Mr Consedine said while the city's parking wardens received a lot of abuse from drivers, they were very rarely physically abused.

"They usually back away from situations. They get good training so they don't react to verbal abuse and don't get upset. Incidents do occur - this is a one-off.

"This is just one person we are talking about, it's not the whole school community.

"It might have been just that one person on just that one day - we don't know the circumstances."