Frome Town Council (FTC)is inviting residents to share their thoughts on Frome’s Safer School Streets trial via an online survey and an engagement event on Wednesday 14th May at Oakfield Academy from 5pm to 6.30pm. Qualitative and quantitative data collected during the trial will be available to view and representatives of project partners Frome Town Council, Somerset Council and active travel charity Sustrans will be on hand to speak to people about Frome’s Safer School Streets scheme.
As a thank you for completing the survey, respondents will be invited to enter a prize draw to win a £100 One4All voucher.
The survey launch date on 22nd April marks one year since the start of the 18-month trial, which ends in October 2025. Frome’s scheme was funded by the Department for Transport as part of a nationwide project to implement traffic reduction schemes and encourage active travel. There are more than 800 Safer School Streets zones in the UK and Europe, with strong evidence to show a decrease in the volume of traffic, and consequently, improved air quality and a safer environment for active travel to school.
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 on Park Road.
Cllr Carla Collenette said ‘We hope lots of people can join us on 14th May 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.’
Matt Winfield, Chief Operating Officer at Sustrans, 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 Street scheme is enabling more children to walk, wheel and cycle to school more often.’
Complete the Safer School Streets survey at bit.ly/safer-school-streets-evaluation-residents, by scanning the QR code on posters around Frome, or by collecting a paper form from Frome Town Hall. The survey closes on Friday 30th May.
