Designs revealed for new one-way system outside school

A new one-way system is likely to be introduced outside a primary school to help make travelling through the village safer.

Somerset Council has published the final design for proposed changes to the road network outside Curry Rivel Primary School.

In the plans, Church Street would become one-way and there would be a 20mph speed limit introduced, as well as new signs to alert drivers about the school.

Somerset Council said the proposals were the result of safety concerns about traffic congestion around the school during drop-off and collection time. It said while the formal consultation period had ended it was still open to feedback.

Double yellow lines would be painted outside the school and an improved uncontrolled pedestrian crossing would also be put in place on the A378, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Somerset Council said it had set aside £65,000 for the changes.

A spokesman for the council said: “Although the formal period of consultation is now past, Somerset Transport has offered to listen to any further feedback on these proposals.

“These road and safety proposals have come about as a result of the active travel study conducted in 2022 (and adopted by the parish council in 2023), and as a result of concerns of safety and traffic congestion around the school especially at the start and close of the school day.”

The parish council commissioned an active travel study in 2021, looking at ways to improve pedestrian and cycling access across the village, as well as identifying a safe route between Curry Rivel and Langport to avoid the main road.

Somerset County Council and its successor Somerset Council have since worked on detailed proposals for small improvements to the existing road network.

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