WORK is set to take place this summer to improve pedestrian and cycling facilities along a road where two schools are based.

BCP Council has revealed details of its Dunyeats Road scheme in Broadstone, which will take just over five weeks to complete.

The council says its aim is to improve the route between Broadstone and Gravel Hill by widening and resurfacing the existing pavement on the north side of Dunyeats Road to create a shared pedestrian/cycle route.

“This will help make it easier for people to use more sustainable forms of transport between these areas, especially students and parents/carers travelling to/from Broadstone First School, Broadstone Middle School and Poole Grammar School,” the council said.

The new pedestrian and cycle route will link to the wider network that includes the Castleman Trailway, Poole town centre, Merley and Wimborne.

According to the plans, two new pedestrian crossings will be created near the first school, one next to the Tudor Road junction and one next to Station Approach. The existing pedestrian crossing outside the first school will be removed.

The council also says improvements will be made to the junctions with Tudor Road, Lower Golf Links Road, Upper Golf Links Road, and the access road leading to Broadstone Cemetery to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists.

The road will also be re-surfaced.

Other aspects of the work include improving bus stops and creating a new stop on the south side of the road between Ashwood Drive and Gravel Hill.

Creating the widened footpath will see the speed camera on the north side of the road, near the middle school, removed.

The majority of the works will take place during the school summer holidays, from Wednesday, July 24, to Friday, August 30, and will be undertaken by the council’s own construction team.

The cost of the scheme is not yet known.

“To ensure that the works can be completed as quickly as possible, and to maintain the safety of both the public and our workforce, various traffic management arrangements will be in place throughout the works. Diversion signs will be placed on site to advise motorists, but pedestrian access will be maintained at all times,” the council said.

“When details of the traffic management measures are known, a diagram of the signed diversion route will be available on this page, although it is appreciated that local traffic will be able to find alternative shorter routes.

“As with any infrastructure project of this nature, some disruption to vehicular traffic is to be expected. We will endeavour to keep this to a minimum and throughout the works motorists are advised to plan ahead, use alternative forms of transport where possible and allow more time for their journeys.”