Laois schools to receive pedestrian crossings and road markings under road safety campaign

Two Laois schools have been chosen for a nationwide road safety programme.

Round three of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme was launched on Friday November 8, seeing 141 schools selected for the programme.

Emo NS and St. Fiacc's NS Graiguecullen have been selected for this programme, which will provide the schools with pencil shaped bollards, colourful road markings, improved footpaths and pedestrian crossings.

The aim of this programme is to alleviate traffic congestion and foster a safe environment for students travelling to and from school. 

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Minister of State James Lawless joined the National Transport Authority (NTA) at Holy Child National School in Naas Co Kildare to announce that an additional 141 schools across the country will benefit from Round 3 of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme.

Pictured: Emo NS (left) and St. Fiacc's NS. The schools have been selected for the SRTS programme.

"When I went to primary school, most children – including myself – walked to and from school every day," said Minister Eamon Ryan.

"Of course, our roads have changed a lot since then, but nevertheless, within the environment we live in today, I think it is just as important that children today can also be allowed to get into and out of their schools safely.

"There is another reason why I think this is such a vital project. Last year I visited a school in Galway and the kids there told me that they loved their safe route to school because it made them feel more relaxed and happier when they got into school.

“We have, I hope, made many schools happier places so far and this new round of funding will mean that we can make the environment around a further 141 schools calmer and safer, in particular those on very busy roads. Making our children happier and calmer is always a great reason to take action, and I look forward to this programme going from strength to strength," Minister Ryan finished.

In 2023, Mountmellick received road safety features outside of Laois schools through the SRTS programme.

In 2023, Laois County Council implemented a Safe Routes to School Initiative in Mountmellick, enhancing student safety and promoting physical activity, while reducing traffic congestion and improving community well-being.#YourCouncilDay2024 #activetravel #gogreen #laois pic.twitter.com/JhQRVQXAXH

— Laois County Council (@LaoisCouncil) July 5, 2024

The SRTS programme launched in 2021 and provides local authorities with targeted funding to enhance safer front of school environments and improved walking and cycling infrastructure around schools. 

When the programme launched, 932 schools, nearly a quarter of all schools nationally applied. With Round 3 launching today, 414 schools have been actively engaged in the programme to date. Holy Child National School is one of the schools where construction works including the pencil shaped bollards, colourful roads markings and new Zebra crossings have been completed.

“It has been so encouraging to see the growing number of young people cycling and walking to school because of the Safe Routes to School projects that the NTA has helped deliver with our partner Local Authorities," said Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA.

"We’re committed to overseeing the delivery of new projects as we announce the third round of the programme and ensuring that its positive impact is felt by schools in every corner of the country. That is why there is such a strong focus on rural schools this year," she finished.

Minister of State James Lawless also warmly welcomed this news.

"Through this latest announcement, thousands more children across Ireland will benefit from safer school routes," he said.

"I’m thrilled to see this initiative reaching even more communities across the country. This programme is about more than just infrastructure; it’s about creating a safer, healthier, and more connected future for our children. The inclusion, for the first time, of 67 schools on Higher Speed Rural Roads is particularly encouraging and, I hope, will lead to lower speeds and improved driving habits outside these schools," Minister Lawless finished.

141 schools across the country will benefit from Round 3 of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme.

An additional 141 schools across the country will benefit from Round 3 of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme.

This latest phase will extend the popular ‘School Zone’ improvements to more schools across the country, using recognisable design features, such as pencil shaped bollards, colourful road markings, improved footpaths and pedestrian crossings to highlight the presence of the school and encourage traffic to slow down and increase active travel among students.

For the first time, schools on Higher Speed Rural Roads (HSRR) will be included in the programme with 67 of the 141 in Round 3 being in this category. The design approach at these schools will be different to the standard ‘School Zone’ approach with the focus being on alerting motorists to the presence of schools and encouraging lower speeds and more attentive driving. This will be achieved through signage and road markings at the front of the school.

The programme is funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA). The Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce is co-ordinating the programme.  Funding is available to local authorities to deliver the infrastructure through the NTA’s Active Travel Allocation from the Department of Transport.