Plans to improve road safety outside a north-east primary school could edge forward next week.
Calls have repeatedly been made to protect youngsters on their way to and from South Park School in Fraserburgh by upgrading the road.
A list of traffic calming measures have been drafted up for Philorth Avenue, including the preferred option of installing islands to make the road single carriageway at points and putting up priority signs.
On Tuesday, members of the Banff and Buchan area committee will be asked to approve a public consultation on the plans.
In 2016, Aberdeenshire Council staff met teachers and parents from the school to discuss some of the concerns about the lack of a formal crossing, limited visibility and the road directly in front of the school.
Efforts to address the problem have included issuing a school travel plan, a walking bus and the introduction of a Sustrans I-Bike officer to promote safe and sustainable commutes to school.
However, the problems have continued with cars blocking the pavements or waiting outside the school gates.
Director of infrastructure services, Stephen Archer, tells councillors in a report the single lane islands are the “best value” on a “cost, implementability and socio-economic” basis.
He adds: “It is therefore requested that the proposed option is taken forward for public consultation for officers to engage the community to receive feedback on the proposal.
“Officers will report back to committee on the findings of the public consultation,
seeking approval to progress or suspend the proposal.”
If approval is given, council officers will then seek to implement the proposal.
There was a gradual decline in the number of pupils being driven to school, from 31% in 2014 to 17% in 2016 – however, the figure rose to 22.6% in 2017.
Cycling, however, has increased going from 2% taking their bike in 2014 to 13% in 2017.