Three schools to get Safe School upgrades

Three schools in Tallaght, Clondalkin and Lucan are set to receive safe school upgrades over the summer after 19 schools across the county requested improvements.

Solas Chríost National School in Belgard Heights, Talbot Senior National School in Bawongue and Esker Educate Together on Esker Lane will all benefit from works in Q3 of this year in an effort to improve the safety for students, staff and families, with 16 other schools awaiting improvements.

The Safe School Zones Programme aims to improve safety and accessibility in the immediate vicinity of schools by supporting measures that encourage walking, cycling, and safer road use.

Works are expected to include strong visual markers by the school site to encourage motorists to slow down and take care as they pass by – these include pencil bollards and colourful high friction road markings, which will be implemented at the Tallaght and Lucan sites.

Talbot Senior is expected to receive larger works, including the introduction of traffic-calming measures, such as a built-out footpath to prevent parking and a new zebra crossing.

Councillor Dean Donnelly welcomed the move to provide these visual markers at Solas Chríost but made his concerns clear about the school’s proximity to the Roadstone quarry and the trucks that will come in and out of the site.

Cllr Donnelly said: “It would be great to see all those colours, but then if there’s lorries going over 10, 20, 30 times a day, who is going to be in charge of maintaining this?”

Although not the main entrance to the quarry, trucks may pass over the markings several times a day once they are installed, which could affect their lifespan.

The council noted that they will liaise with Roadstone regarding the new markings that will be placed in front of Solas Chríost.

The school in Belgard Heights is one of 10 schools in Tallaght that have requested works be carried out to improve the safety in their direct vicinities.

The programme focuses on reducing traffic-related risks at school gates, improving the local walking and cycling environment, and supporting schools to promote active travel within the school community.

The local authority operates these works through two different schemes – Safe Routes to School organised by An Taisce and funded by the National Transport Authority, and a local Safe School Zones scheme also funded by the NTA.