The Dunedin City Council will consult on a range of safety improvements around five central city schools, which could include part-time or permanent speed reductions, more designated short-term parking areas and improved crossing points.
The five schools are Otago Boys' High School, Arthur Street School, Kavanagh College, Otago Girls' High School and St Joseph's Cathedral School.
Council transport engineering and road safety team leader Hjarne Poulsen said the schools had identified several problem areas which needed to be addressed.
They included difficulty crossing roads and intersections, a lack of parking for short-term visitors and the speed vehicles travelled outside of the schools, Mr Poulsen said.
Several options could be trialled and installed at a low cost then upgraded if they proved successful over a trial period, he said.
Resealing work planned for Brown St in February would allow already planned safety work to be carried out, which included a new roundabout and crossings with pedestrian refuge sites.
There would be further consultation on the recommendations next year and more information would be sent to the schools and made available to the public, he said.
Arthur Street School principal Kim Blackwood was pleased the council had listened to the school's concerns about pupil safety.
All five schools agreed something needed to be done, she said.
''There's no quick fix to it and if you had been sitting in the meetings the schools had with the council you would know we are just happy someone is listening to us.''
There had been ''extremely'' close calls, Ms Blackwood said, and it was only luck no pupils had been hurt in a traffic incident.
Parking at the start and end of the day could be a nightmare, she said.
''The safety of our little ones being dropped off is paramount and we are in quite tricky space in terms of both the speed cars travel and the parking we have available.''
Speed was also an issue and the school had already tried to increase its visibility so motorists would know to slow down, she said.
''A lot of people driving past know where Otago Boys' is but we're not as well known so people don't seem to slow down when going past the school.''
