Pencil parking bollards requested for every school in Portlaoise district

The fun pencil style parking bollards that popped up at two Laois schools recently, have been requested for all schools in the Portlaoise Municipal District.

The bollards that look incredibly like real pencils, were placed at Scoil Mhuire NS in Abbeyleix, and at St Patrick's and St Joseph's boys and girls schools in Mountmellick.

They prevent drivers parking on the footpaths beside the schools, to make it safer for children and residents.

Now Cllr Barry Walsh has requested Laois County Council to install them across the district.

He tabled a motion to the district's October meeting asking them to roll out the road making, bollards and traffic calming across all schools where feasible.

"I am delighted to see all that work being done, I had had a number of complaints, but the new measures are fantastic. You can clearly see the zone you're entering. I'd like to see a push on this further for new and old schools," he said.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly seconded.

"The job in Abbeyleix is fantastic, it's very safe. People were apprehensive when they took away the place where they pulled up, but any scheme improving safety is welcome," he said.

Cllr Willie Aird suggests that The Heath NS and Ratheniska NS get the safety measures.

However one councillor pointed out the ongoing lack of parking spaces for parents at school collection times. 

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said it puts children at risk who are walking and cycling.

"We have a problem on the Borris Road, but there is nowhere for parents to park, the way they were designed. Better planning should go in to these schools, they're not old," she said.

Cllr Fennelly blamed the Department of Education for the lack of parking.

"They're not event putting in enough parking for staff," he said.

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Replying to the motion, engineer Diarmuid Donohoe said that the measures had been installed using money from the Safe Routes to School Programme in conjunction with An Taise and the National Transport Authority.

"Any future such installations will be dependent on allocated funding and approvals," the council engineer said.