Tauranga City Council has admitted an internal investigation is underway into how a series of ‘no parking' yellow lines were allowed to block a Tauranga special school from essential accessibility.

Earlier this week, Kaka Street Special School principal Barrie Wickens spoke to SunLive after turning up to school to find council contractors had painted yellow lines around the cul-de-sac over the weekend.

Kaka Street Special School principal Barrie Wickens is hoping Tauranga City Council looks at the footpath situation for wheelchair-bound students. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

It is understood the road markings come after council received one complaint from a resident and a couple of rubbish truck drivers – with the school receiving no consultation in the process.

Tauranga City Council transportation manager Martin Parkes confirms council is carrying out an internal investigation into the incident and expects an outcome by next week.

He told SunLive that the staff member in charge of the project was out of the office for the week.

Since the matter came to a head, council staff and Barrie have worked closely in an attempt to find a resolution and will continue to do so. But the local residential community also needs to be considered, adds Martin.

'It's about getting the balance right between the needs of the two groups,” he says. That's what will we will be doing over the next few weeks.”

Both Martin and Barrie admit a designated loading zone is an option that could be considered as a compromise.

Barrie says it is pleasing to see progress being made on the accessibility issue to rectify what he describes as a 'shambles” and a significant health and safety risk for students, parents and Go Bus drivers.

In the meantime, the bus drivers have been advised they can operate contrary to the yellow lines until the matter is resolved, and Barrie is telling parents and staff to do the same.

'If that causes concern for the council, well they created the situation,” says Barrie. 'That's what my stance will be for the next week or so.”

He believes a gesture of good will would be for the council to investigate improving the footpath at the corner of Kaka St and Grace Road – an area that has proved problematic for staff and parents in the past.

Teachers often walk or cycle with students as part of their therapy program as they often may not move around a lot. But due to the width of the wheelchairs and trikes being wider than the footpath, they are becoming unbalanced and a struggle for the carers.

'We might as well look at the whole street and nothing but the street,” says Barrie.

Martin, commenting on the footpath concerns, says he isn't aware of the issue but is happy to investigate.

'That can be done fairly quickly,” says Martin. 'I can have one of the engineers review that in the next couple of days.”