Cars could soon be banned for good from entering and exiting a road to improve safety around a primary school.
Wokingham Borough Council is looking to prohibit motor vehicles from parts of School Road in Arborfield.
A draft policy indicates cars would not be allowed to exit or enter School Road between the centreline of Wood Lane for up to 20.5 metres.
The council says the restrictions have already been implemented on site, with a review finding it ‘beneficial’ at improving road safety.
The prohibition is required to reduce the amount of traffic in the route and prioritise the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
Wokingham Borough Council says it would exclude emergency services and local bus services from the ban.
Arborfield and Newland Parish Council said an experimental closure of School Road ‘has been very successful’ and is ‘very popular’ with parents at the Coombes Primary School.
The parish council said it has ‘significantly reduced’ traffic passing through the Arborfield Cross conservation area.
It has also stopped traffic passing directly in front of the Coombes Primary School.
“This has had a major benefit in improving the safety of our children and has significantly reduced their exposure to the detrimental environmental impact such heavy traffic causes,” the parish council wrote.
A public consultation was undertaken by Wokingham Borough Council in April and May 2019.
Arborfield and Newland Parish Council said the scheme would ‘improve the lives of residents’ and urged the borough council to permanently close this part of School Road.
Executive member for active travel, transport and highways Martin Alder is set to make an individual executive member decision on Friday, May 2.
