Primary school demands action over busy road
HUGE CONCERN FOR PUPIL SAFETY AT CLONROCHE NS
SUCH is the level of concern at a local primary school that a child will be seriously injured or killed at pick-up and drop-off times that a safety committee has been set up to lobby the local authority into taking action on the matter.
Clonroche National School is unique in that it’s the only school in the county located on the side of a national primary road.
That means speeding traffic passing by the school gates is a major issue and the fact that work has taken place, and is ongoing, to improve the road surface through the village has actually compounded the issue even further because traffic is now going even faster by the school.
Committee members told this newspaper that the local authority has said there is little that can be done due to the width of the road at the school, however, for them that’s not good enough with one member commenting: ‘They have to make an exception because it’s exceptional school circumstances.’
SUCH is the level of concern at a local primary school about child safety at pick-up and drop-off times that a safety committee has been set up to lobby the local authority into taking action on the matter.
Clonroche National School is unique in that it’s the only school in the county that is located on the side of a national primary road.
However, what that means is that speeding traffic passing by the school gates - despite it being located just inside the Clonroche speed limit boundary - is a major issue.
When this newspaper met with the safety committee members they also pointed out that recent works to improve the condition of the road through the village has, ironically, compounded the danger at the school.
‘The new road surface now just means the traffic is going even faster by the school,’ said Gary Flood, one of the committee members.
While a campaign to have safety measures implemented began in 2012, the committee members said that very little has actually been done.
School Principal, Norma Doyle, said there are two key issues that need to be addressed, the volume of traffic going through the village and the speed at which its travelling.
‘The volume and speed of traffic that passes the school is a very big issue,’ she said.
‘We are just inside the [speed limit] boundary and we are on a hill as well,’ she added.
There have been fatal accidents within the speed limit boundary and just outside the village in the past and the committee is very concerned about the safety and welfare of children, especially at pick-up and drop-off time.
‘There are times when you hold your breath when it looks like there’s going to be a serious accident,’ said Ms Doyle.
Another committee member, Mairead Furlong, said the speed of lorries passing by is a particular issue.
‘At 3 p.m. it’s a really serious issue, especially with people trying to reverse out of spaces,’ she added.
A significant aspect of parking at the school is that due to its very close proximity to the national route parents mostly drive into the marked car spaces.
However, this means they have to reverse out onto the road which is in breach of road safety rules, however, motorists should not turn across and stop on a national route either so the situation in Clonroche is such that it’s a catch 22 situation, albeit a very dangerous one.
The safety committee feels the speed limit sign on the approach to the village should be bigger and possibly located further back along the road.
‘People are just past the sign when the reach the school so maybe if it was back further a bit it might help,’ said Linda Buckley.
‘There is also a very narrow margin so there’s no room for a footpath either,’ she added.
Another committee member, Delores Flood, said: ‘We need something to be done to slow the traffic down. Maybe different signs are needed because the ones that are there are not making much difference.’
In addition to the safety committee members who met with this newspaper in the school other members include: Aidan Kielthy (Chairperson); Tracy Kehoe; Stephen Dooley; John Foley; and Debbie Carton.
A number of children have also written to Wexford County Council over the matter and expressed their concern about the safety issues outside the school because of traffic.
They also wrote that speeding is a serious issue.
The letters were directed towards the local authority’s road safety division
The committee says the local authority has communicated with them on the matter but that all they’ve been told is that there is nothing that can be done due to the width of the road.
However, for them that’s not good enough and as Ms Furlong pointed out there are genuine fears someone will be killed.
‘They have to make an exception [here] because it’s exceptional school circumstances.’