“That Roscommon County Council  write to the Minister for Transport and Environment Eamon Ryan requesting him to immediately instruct Transport Infrastructure Ireland to implement a reduced speed limit of 50km/hour outside all schools. This will not only improve safety in the vicinity of the schools, it will also ensure more pupils can utilise pedestrian and cycleway infrastructure in a safe environment on a daily basis.”

“Roscommon County Council write to the Minister for Transport and Environment Eamon Ryan requesting him to immediately instruct Transport Infrastructure Ireland to implement a reduced speed limit of 50km/hour outside all schools. This will not only improve safety in the vicinity of the schools, it will also ensure more pupils can utilise pedestrian and cycleway infrastructure in a safe environment on a daily basis.”

Proposing the motion on behalf of the members of the Athlone Municipal District, Cllr Keogh said the motion derived from concerns previously expressed over speeding vehicles outside Cornafulla National School and Ballybay National School. He said it was particularly important speed limits were reduced to ensure the safety of children using their local school. He said it may be necessary to amend by-laws and said any changes should be adopted at Council level as part of an overall policy to reduce speed limits outside all schools.

Seconding the proposal, Cllr, Ward said the issue of school safety outside Ballybay National School had been raised by him back in 2004. There are also safety concerns outside schools in Brideswell and Curraghboy and the absence a footpath made it particularly hazardous for schoolchildren using the road. He appealed for the provision of traffic calming measures on the approach to Ballybay National School as the school was located on a very busy regional road. He said Active Travel measures would benefit, rather than solve, the issue of speeding vehicles outside schools.

Cllrs. Fallon, Kelly and Kilduff also spoke on the motion:

·         There are huge dangers outside many schools, particularly outside Ballybay National School where cars were attempting to turn off the N61. Parking is inadequate outside many schools, which should be addressed at the planning and design phase for schools. Mount Talbot National School as a location where there were also traffic concerns.

·         It is important a letter is sent to the Transport Minister on the issue. It is only a matter of time before a major road traffic accident occurred outside any school in the county, owing to the speed of passing vehicles.

·         There is a need for a nationwide speed limit policy outside all schools or alternatively have ‘school zones’ monitoring speed limits, like in Australia where there were speed limits which were time bound on the affected road.

Cllr. Fitzmaurice said while he supported the motion he wished to amend it and suggested the adoption of periodic speed limits outside schools whereby speed limits outside schools were reduced from 50km in urban areas as exists outside many schools to 30kph during school set down times.

Cllr Keogh said there was a speed limit of 60kph in force outside Cloonakilla National School.

Cllr Fitzmaurice said that in all towns, the current speed limit outside schools was 50 kph. His proposal was seconded by Cllr Dineen.

A/Director of Services Greg O’Donnell said the Council supported safety measures near schools but said a resolution of the issue was not straight forward. He conceded there were some discrepancies concerning speed limits in urban areas. He said the proposal of members was worthy but needed to be refined but warned schools on secondary or tertiary roads may incur costs from the adoption of new speed limits outside their respective schools.

Responding, Cllr Fallon repeated an earlier suggestion that there should be a standard national speeding policy outside all schools and that TII would ensure such proposals be adopted. Cllr J. Keogh said Citizens Information states that special speed limits could be adopted by the local authority in designated areas.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Keogh

SECONDED by Cllr. Ward

It was AGREED that Roscommon County Council write to the Minister for Transport and Environment Eamon Ryan requesting him to immediately instruct Transport Infrastructure Ireland to implement a reduced speed limit of 50km/hour outside all schools. This will not only improve safety in the vicinity of the schools, it will also ensure more pupils can utilise pedestrian and cycleway infrastructure in a safe environment on a daily basis. It was further agreed that the motion be circulated to all local authorities.