Scoil Ursula “bottleneck”
SCOIL Ursula National School’s Board of Management has been asked to build a “fit for purpose” set down area for parents at the school.
Councillors passed a motion tabled by Councillor Seamus Kilgannon last week requesting both the school and the Roads Department of the County Council build the set down area on Health and Safety grounds.
Up to 250 cars regularly jam up the Knappagh Road at peak rush hour every morning and afternoon as parents drop off and collect pupils.
Council senior engineer Tom Brennan said it was likely that well over 60 per cent of the approximately 415 students travelled to school by car.
“The Roads Department will liaise with the school principal and the Board of Management,” he said.
“Students, teachers, school bus drivers and most importantly parents must also be made aware of the challenges and shared responsibilities of school traffic safety. It is unfortunate but some of the most frequent violators of safety at schools are parents who are in a hurry to dropoff or pick up their child,” he added.
Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady also asked the Council to evaluate the problems encountered at the opening and closing times of Scoil Ursula.
“The Thornhill residents are at risk,” she said, highlighting the problem of parents parking inside the estate next door to the school.
“I don’t think that’s acceptable in this day and age. Something has to be done,” she said.
Director of Services Bartley Gavin said: “We’re very happy to engage with them and be part of that dialogue with Scoil Ursula regarding traffic blocking up Thornhill,” he said.
Mr Gavin said he would be taking up the matter with the Gardaí and with Scoil Ursula and would be putting traffic counters on that road to see how much traffic uses it.
Speaking afterwards, Cllr Kilgannon welcomed the feedback from the Council that the school was open to co- operating on the issue.
“Particularly in the mornings because all children are arriving together, it’s a real bottle neck.
“It’s holding up parents and other people trying to get to work for 9 o’clock.
“There is a solution if the Department of Education, the school and the Council would make some provision for cars to go in one gate and exit another. They have a duty of care to the children also. If there’s a solution, they must co- operate and find it,” added Cllr Kilgannon.