Concerned parents and residents protested over the weekend, advocating that taxis should not be allowed down a popular road.
Harding’s Way is often used by parents and children walking to Whitefriars Primary School and King Edward VII Academy (KES).
The road currently only allows buses to travel down it, but a feasibility study set to take place by Norfolk County Council could permit taxis to travel down the road.
The announcement has received strong opposition from a group of residents, parents and councillors in South Lynn, with some choosing to protest on Saturday.
The protest was organised by South and West Lynn councillor Alexandra Kemp, who described the feasibility study as “concerning”.
She said: “Norfolk County Council shouldn’t increase traffic and emissions near a school playground.
“That is against council policy. Harding’s Way runs by Whitefriars Primary School playground.
“The new county council transport policy says the county will work with schools to reduce emissions around schools. The county council should enforce its own policy.
“Children cross the bus lane to get to school, where it narrows to single-file traffic, near the flood defences.
“Opening up the bus lane to vehicles other than buses would be against the council’s safety policy, as it would increase the risk of head-on collisions and accidents involving children on their safe walk to school.
“Norfolk County Council shouldn’t be wasting public money on a feasibility study about taxis using Hardings Way, because it already had a study proving there would be no benefit to vehicles, other than buses.
“This is not joined-up thinking.”
Previously speaking to the Lynn News, the county council said that most bus lanes across Norfolk do permit taxis to travel down them.
They said: “We believe it is appropriate to examine this matter at this time to understand the issues around bringing the King’s Lynn bus lanes in line with the rest of Norfolk.
“Unless a study is carried out, it will not be possible for officers and councillors to make an informed decision as to whether any changes should be made to the bus routes in Lynn.
“This study will not examine the potential for allowing general traffic to use the Harding’s Way bus lane. This has been looked at previously, and the evidence was that it would not provide any significant relief to London Road to offset the impact of additional traffic on the bus lane.”
