A TEMPORARY project to improve safety around a Newport school has been praised.

The street trial - a partnership between both Sustrans Cymru and Newport council - is a week long, community-led process working closely with pupils, staff, parents and residents to develop ideas for improving the road safety around St David's R.C. Primary School.

And to help residents and pupils walk and cycle to and from school, the project has created temporary barriers, spray painted to mark out pavement space and introduced a temporary school crossing.

The idea of the process is to use "interactive and flexible methods" to mark out how the area could look if there were less cars and congestion.

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Patrick Williams, who is Sustrans Cymru's collaborative design manager, said: “This street trial event is about improving child safety around the school and making it a healthier, cleaner and more active environment. One of the main problems identified by the community has been congestion; often there are over 100 cars travelling in front of the school at pick-up and drop-off times.

"Pavement parking is also a big problem and often results in parents and children having to walk on the road.

"Poor road layout also means that there is no crossing points around the school.”

And Newport City Council leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox added: “We welcome this project to help reduce congestion outside St David’s RC Primary School by creating and improving pedestrian and cycle routes to the school and introducing the drop off point in Tredegar Park so parents can leave their cars and walk their children to school.

“It is great that the pupils, parents, staff and local residents have played their part in helping to find solutions and at the same time helping to promote our Active Travel strategy.”