A Corsham primary school believes the traffic calming trial taking place in the town is making it safer for pupils to walk to school.

Headteacher of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School Rita McLoughlin believes the two week trial which has seen Corsham’s South Place temporarily become one lane, until Monday, April 30, has had a positive effect.

During the trial, which sees traffic from Pound Pill having priority over vehicles coming from Pickwick Road, there has been more space created for residents to walk down the usually narrow pavements of South Place.

Miss McLoughlin said: “We operate a walking bus every Thursday and Friday and we’ve noticed a difference. We’ve seen more families walking along South Place and the trial seems to be making walking to our school safer for pupils and their parents.”

At the end of last year, the school, in Lacock Road, introduced a series of measures to combat the chaotic traffic which it experienced at the start and the end of the day.

One of the measures included the school welcoming their first ever crossing patrol officer.

Miss McLoughlin said: “I spoke to our crossing guard, Lisa Partridge, about the effects of the South Place trial and she said the roads are much calmer.

“So, from the school’s point of view, it seems to be working. I don’t know what the wider impact has been but it’ll be interesting to see the results of the volunteers’ monitoring.”

Volunteers from Corsham Community Area Network have carried out a survey of pedestrian and motorist numbers during the traffic calming trial and have handed the data to Corsham Town Council.

Town clerk David Martin said: “We are collating the data from the volunteers and we’ve also had feedback from residents. We’d like to get people’s views on the trial.”

Feedback will be handed to Wiltshire Council and if the trial is deemed to be a success South Place could permanently become one lane with the narrow pavement extended.

In the meantime, once the trial finishes, South Place will become two lanes again until a decision has been made.

To give your feedback on the trial email Corsham Town Council at towncouncil@corsham.gov.uk or visit Corsham Town Hall.