Laois Gardaí agree to speedchecks at school on busy Mountmellick road

Laois Gardaí have promised to put a speed detection van at a busy road going past a Mountmellick parish school.

At the request of Portlaoise councillors, An Garda Síochána say they "will be available for speed checks" on a Regional road past The Rock National School, where drivers often break the speed limit of 30km/h and 50km/h.

The Gardaí confirmed receiving a request for speed detection vans on the R442, and have forwarded this to the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau (GNRPB).

They also had received complaints from local people about the speed.

Gardaí say that they would welcome an allocation of money by councillors to install more speed signs, after which they will be available to catch and fine drivers breaking the speed limit.

They sent the letter in reply to a motion tabled at the March meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District. 

Sinn Féin Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley's motion had asked that Laois County Council activate the speed radar sign at The Rock school which is located within the Portlaoise electoral area.

“The speed on the road is absolutely crazy…we’ve (the council) done an awful lot in that area to reduce the speed but unfortunately cars are still being driven at enormous speed,” she said.

Supporting the motion, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, Fianna Fáil, said “I really believe that we need a few months of speed traps at the school”.

The reply was read out by Laois County Council Director of Services Simon Walton at the April meeting of the district.

The school which has some 200 pupils successfully campaigned for a new footpath connected to the town, to allow for safe active travel.

Residents on the road near the school have also raised recent concerns about the speed limit, which is raised to 80km/h for a short stretch between the Rock area and town limits.