Frome residents are being asked for their views on an ongoing scheme designed to make it safer for local children to walk and cycle to school.

The Frome Safer School Street scheme has been running since April 2024, with roads around four primary schools in the western part of the town being subject to 20mph speed limits, distinctive traffic calming measures and being closed to motorised vehicles at pick-up and drop-off times.

The scheme – which is being funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) – is currently operating on a trial basis, with the 18-month trial period set to expire at the end of October.

Frome residents are now being asked for their views on whether the changes are making enough of a difference to local children – and whether they should become permanent come the end of the year.

Frome Town Council has launched an online survey and organised a meeting at Oakfield Academy on May 14 to ensure local people’s views are successfully collated.

This event will be attended by town council and Somerset Council representatives, along with officials from the government’s active travel charity Sustrans.

In addition to the event at Oakfield Academy, a series of ‘pop-up’ events will take place from the beginning of May in and around the School Streets zones, near Oakfield Academy, Trinity First School, Critchill School and Avanti Park School.

Town councillor Carla Collenette said: “We hope lots of people can join us on May 14 or at the pop-up events and complete the online survey.

“The more respondents, the better and more complete the overall picture, so please do take the time to tell us your experience.

“We’ll combine the survey data from 2022 and from the current survey with other feedback and look at the data set for the project to help us evaluate the impact and success of the scheme in Frome.”

To complement the safer school streets scheme, work was recently completed on a new crossing over the B3090 The Butts, providing a safer link to the affected schools from those living on Water Lane and the wider Keyford area.

Sustrans chief operating officer Matt Winfield said: “This scheme was designed in collaboration with the local community.

“It is really important that we check back in with residents to make sure that Frome’s Safer School Streets scheme is enabling more children to walk, wheel and cycle to school more often.”

The Oakfield Academy event, aimed at gathering feedback from local residents about the Safer School Streets scheme, will take place on Tuesday, May 14, from 5pm to 6.30pm and will provide an opportunity for attendees to speak directly with councillors and representatives from Somerset Council, Frome Town Council, and Sustrans.

To complete the Safer School Streets survey, visit www.bit.ly/safer-school-streets-evaluation-residents, scan the QR code on posters around Frome, or collect a paper form from Frome Town Hall before May 30.

All those who complete the survey (either in person or online) will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 One4All voucher.