Children's charity Barnardo's is working hard to allay fears a new 50-place nursery at Redland primary school in Chippenham will add to the traffic problems outside the school.

Local residents want the nursery to be moved to another location because they fear the extra traffic generated will add to the problems of traffic congestion and chock-a-block parking at each end of the school day.

But Jon Doble, speaking for Barnardo's, said they had lined up a series of measures to make sure the new nursery did not aggravate an already difficult situation in the locality.

"I acknowledge there is a problem," he said. "The school needs to work with the police, the county council and local residents to tackle the problem."

Brook Street residents Molly and John Mills said they did not oppose the idea of a nursery but regretted the choice of site.

"They want a 50-place nursery, which means we'll have increased traffic four times a day," she said.

As well as traffic at the beginning and end of the school day Mrs Mills said many parents collected and dropped off their children at the beginning and end of the lunch hour, adding to the problem.

"We are very concerned for the OAP bungalows along the road," she said. "Cars can park all day on the road outside them which makes it difficult for ambulances when they come," she said.

"I've seen district nurses struggling with all their equipment because they can't park outside the houses."

She said residents supported the school and went in to teach them cooking, sewing and painting.

"We do look after the school and keep an eye on it," she said. "But we need to make a stand this is affecting our lives."

She said the nursery would be open all year round so they would not even have the school holidays as a break from the congestion.

But Mr Doble said he hoped he had allayed some of the concerns at a public meeting in the school on Wednesday last week. He said they would create 16 new parking spaces on the school site for staff working at the nursery, as well as a designated drop-off point on the school grounds.

They will also work with Redland school to create a Green Travel Plan to try and alleviate the traffic problems, which could include staggered drop-off times.

The new nursery is intended to be a local resource and he hoped most of the parents and future employees would be local people who would be able to walk to the school.

The charity has already gained detailed planning permission for the £400,000 nursery.