After years of planning, consultation and, yes some arguing, traffic measures aimed at improving school safety and health at peak drop off times at some of the main schools in Frome, was finally being trialled.

Frome Town Council said: " Over the past two years, Frome Town Council has been working with active travel charity Sustrans to engage the local community in the design of a Safer School Streets project around Trinity, Critchill, Oakfield and Avanti schools."

The plans include installing courtesy crossings, putting in dropped kerbs and tactile paving and updating road markings. 

The markings will include patterns outside the schools to make it clear to drivers that they are entering a school zone. Benches, cycle stands and planters will also be included on the route with all streets in the area becoming part of a new 20 mph zone. 

During the trial, sections of Oakfield Road, Nunney Road and Critch Hill will be closed to traffic between 8.10am to 9am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday during term time, and Park Road 8.25am to 8.55am and 3pm to 3.30pm.

Exemptions for public transport, blue badge holders, and residents will apply. A 20mph limit will also be introduced along all roads in the School Streets area.

Cllr Carla Collenette said on the FTC web site: "It's good to see the School Streets trial come about after three years of hard work by FTC and the project partners, Somerset Council and Sustrans. "

Today (March 20) things were moving smoothly outside Oakfield Academy. However, aside from traffic lights on the junction, the main engineering works had yet to be put in, and teams of engineers were waiting until the children were admitted into school before they started work.

Parents on social media warned : " It's just moving the problem elsewhere. Westover, Westwood Drive and Eastwood Close is a nightmare. Inconsiderate parking on the junctions and on bends and as most of the roads in this area are not straight it's causing problems for the drivers line of sight.

" I've had a few near misses recently due to lack of visibility around a bend and the road being reduced to single track because of the parking."