A new “School Street” trial at Apanui School aims to make the school run safer for tamariki while easing traffic congestion during busy drop-off and pick-up times.

Pounama Place, a cul-de-sac behind the school, has long been a bottleneck at the beginning and end of the school day, with vehicles competing for space as parents drop off and collect children.

Since Monday, the road has been temporarily closed to traffic during peak school times as part of a term-long trial in partnership with Whakatāne District Council.

Apanui School principal Marama Stewart welcomed the initiative, saying it was designed to make arriving at and leaving school safer for students.

“It was chaotic here with all the cars trying to get in, and some could not get out, and kids were running to the cars. So, this looks a bit calmer,” she said.

The “School Street” operates from 8am to 8.45am and from 2.30pm to 3.15pm on school days, with signs at the entrance to Pounama Place advising motorists of the restrictions.

Stewart said families could park a bit further away and walk to the school to collect their children.

Some residents of Pounama Place had also expressed relief at the change, she said, having watched the busy traffic from their windows and regularly witnessed near misses.

Whakatāne District Council road safety co-ordinator Richard Hamer said he first encountered the “School Street” concept during an online national road safety meeting.

“I saw a story about a ‘School Street’ in Christchurch, and it just seemed like the perfect solution,” he said.

The concept involves temporarily restricting vehicle access outside a school during busy periods so children can arrive and leave in a safer environment.

“The problem has been everybody trying to get in at the same time,” Hamer said.

Council transport team leader Joe Metcalfe said: “We're just looking to make it a safer environment for the kids getting to school and maybe reduce a little bit of the traffic chaos that was happening.

“It was a relatively easy-to-implement, low-cost solution to a problem that has been ongoing for as far as I can remember at council.”

Apanui School has a roll of about 450 students, making it one of the largest primary schools in town.

Whakatāne District councillor Carolyn Hamill also visited the school this week to see how the trial was progressing, saying the traffic issue had been ongoing for as long she could remember.

If the trial is successful, the School Street concept could be introduced at other schools.