On Wednesday 30 June, the sustainable travel charity Sustrans set up a gazebo on Tennyson Road to gather feedback on plans to make the Fairfield Primary School area more active travel friendly.

They did so as part of phase three of the community project, which began in November 2020 and is supported by the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

Phase one entailed holding workshops with children and residents to understand the barriers facing pedestrians and cyclists in the local area.

It asked the question: 'What concerns you most when getting about Fairfield School area?'

A month later, phase two began. Sustrans held further well-attended workshops to gather ideas on how the street can be "made safer, friendlier and more fun".

The process gleaned over 300 responses, which identified three key areas of concern: Dryden Rd, Tennyson Rd shops area and Wordsworth Avenue.

Sustrans organisers used the residents' suggestions to develop a basic plan, which involves:

- Reducing the number of cars entering Dryden Rd at school peak times

- Restricting parking for parents, at peak times, at the area around the front of the school

- Improving the area in front of the Tennyson Rd shops – making it a place for the community

- Improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists along Wordsworth Avenue

Wednesday's session gathered over 100 survey results, in which residents expressed their opinions on methods suggested to reach these goals.

These include junction improvements, targeted street closures during the school rush, street art, and planters and 'rain gardens'.

Three further phase three sessions will be held (dates and times below) before phase four begins.

Final proposals will be drawn up and in September tested on the street using a set of trials, if the Vale of Glamorgan Council give their approval.

Following this, in phase five, the final designs will be installed.

The project is being organised by Sustrans representatives, including Penarth's very own Sustrans Cymru technical project officer Thaisa Wells.

"Sustainable travel will improve the quality of life of all residents around the area," she told Nub News. "It's for everybody of all ages, the able-bodied, the less able-bodied - everyone benefits."

The scheme is notable for its active encouragement of child participation.

Sustrans active journeys officer for Fairfield School Hamish Belding explains the benefit of involving young people.

"Young people are really central to this project because they are often the ones who express a desire to travel to school actively and to be more independent and healthy.

"A lot of the concerns we are getting from young people and their parents is that the journeys they would be making to school often have lots of barriers that prevent them from making that journey safely," he continued.

"It's really important to engage with and listen tp young people, as they are the ones facing issues.

"You get a few crazy idea, but lots of brilliant ones as well."

The three remaining Phase Three sessions will be held on the following dates:

- Wednesday, 7th July 2021, Wordsworth Av (between Dryden Rd and Ceiriog Place), 3:30-6:30 pm

- Wednesday, 14th July 2021, Tennyson Rd shops area, 3:30-6:30 pm

- Summer party: Saturday, 24th July 2021, Tennyson Rd shops area, 1:00-4:00 pm

Contact [email protected] or 029 2065 0602 for further information.