Road safety audit around schools to start

An audit of safety on approach roads to schools within the Athlone-Moate Municipal District will take place over the course of the next 12 months.

District Engineer Willie Ryan was responding to a motion raised by Cllr Vinny McCormack at a recent meeting of the Municipal District in which he called for the installation of pencil bollards and school-friendly road markings as a policy for the approach to all schools within the District.

"There needs to be a clear policy in place regarding safety measures on the approach to all our schools in the District. I can think of a number of schools where I truly believe that additional safety measures are required with higher volumes of traffic now on our roads.

"The painting of colourful dots on approach roads to schools in particular is very impactful and does give cause for drivers to slow down as they know that they are now approaching an area where children are present," Cllr McCormack said.

The Fianna Fáil Councillor suggested that a school within the District should be selected as a "pilot project" and a speed survey conducted.

"Following the speed survey the District could then put in place pencil bollards and colourful road markings at the school before conducting a second speed survey at the location. This would hopefully show that the road safety measures in place have had an impact on slowing down school approaching traffic. It would provide so much peace of mind to the parents of school going children," Cllr McCormack said.

Cllr Tom Farrell said that the installation of such school-friendly safety measures was a "step in the right direction" and would ensure that drivers were "tuned in" to their surroundings.

Responding, Director of Services Jackie Finney said that the District would support the implementation of school-friendly safety measures but may have to identify a relevant funding source if they were to proceed with the initiative.

District Engineer Willie Ryan said that an audit of all the schools in the Municipal District was a "good starting point".

"This audit will take some time but hopefully it will be ready in the next 12 months. We will look after the most vulnerable schools initially when the audit is completed," Mr Ryan said.