There will be no parking chaos outside a Weymouth school today as the road is shut to improve safety and to encourage car-free travel.

The school-run for parents taking children to Radipole Primary is going to be a lot different as a section of Radipole Lane is closed to traffic for drop off and pick up times as part of a national trial.

Families are being encouraged to walk or cycle instead.

Those who must travel by car will have to park somewhere nearby and walk the rest of the way.

Radipole is joining a handful of schools across the country in closing their streets to vehicles for one day to improve air quality and safety outside the school gates.

It's part of Sustrans' two-week Big Pedal Competition encouraging families to walk, scoot or cycle to and from school.

Elsewhere in Dorset, West Moors Middle School will enjoy car-free roads today and on Thursday afternoon the road outside Lytchett Matravers School will be closed.

As the Big Pedal launched today, Sustrans released the results of a YouGov poll, which found that nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of teachers would support a ban on vehicles outside the school gates during school drop off and pick up times.

The national walking and cycling charity surveyed 840 teaching professionals about their attitudes towards air pollution and the actions they think should be taken.

More than half (59 per cent) want the Government to take urgent action to improve air quality near schools.

Sustrans Director for the South of England James Cleeton said: “We’re delighted that three schools in Dorset have joined schools across the UK to demonstrate the potential of closing school streets to vehicles. We need to radically change the way we travel – idling car engines and snarled up roads poison the air our children breathe."

He added: “We’re grateful Dorset County Council has supported these street closures and we will continue to work in partnership to encourage the council to implement permanent school street closures during the school run, as part of the measures to reduce air pollution and create a safer environment for families to walk and cycle. The Government must support local authorities and implement clean air legislation to tackle motorised traffic, including large scale investment in walking and cycling.”

Service Director for Environment, Infrastructure, and Economy at Dorset County Council Matthew Piles said: “We are delighted to be working with Sustrans on this initiative. We hope this trial will help to give parents and carers the choices to live a healthy lifestyle to allow a ‘people focussed space’”.