PARENTS and other motorists in Dunster could be banned from using St George’s Street during school run times.

The road runs past Dunster First School, where Somerset Council has carried out a public consultation on the idea, which is branded ‘School Streets’ and has already been introduced in other parts of the country.

Now, it wants to pilot the scheme in Somerset and is also asking for views on the idea of banning traffic outside Otterhampton Primary School, in Combwich, with the consultation there closing on Monday (October 16).

The council is working with Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) on its plans to improve road safety.

The scheme would see ‘school streets’ created outside education establishments with the roads being closed to traffic during drop-off and pick-up times, and speed limits would also be reduced.

However, some residents feared they would be inconvenienced and that the move would simply result in traffic issues moving to other nearby roads.

A council spokesperson said: “‘School Streets’ aim to make the area outside our school gates safer by reducing congestion, improving air quality, and encouraging more pupils and their families to walk, cycle, or scoot to school where they can.

“Elsewhere in the country ‘School Streets’ have been proven to achieve this.

"We are looking to pilot this scheme with some schools in Somerset.”

The UK already has hundreds of ‘School Streets’ schemes in operation, the nearest being in Bristol.