Eleven schools across Galway city and county have been selected for inclusion in the first round of the Safe Routes to School programme to support walking and cycling infrastructure for school goers.
The schools selected for funding under round one of SRTS were assessed against a range of criteria including school type, location and the school’s commitment to sustainable travel. The chosen schools are:
Galway Educate Together national school, Thomas Hynes Road, Newcastle; Scoil Chaitríona junior, Renmore Avenue, Renmore; Scoil Iognaid, Bóithrín na Sliogán; St Joseph's Special School, Thomas Hynes Road, Newcastle; Athenry Boys National School, Knockaunglass, Athenry; Calasanctius College, Oranmore; Gaelscoil de hÍde, Ard na Mara, Uarán Mór; Scoil Bhaile Nua, Baile Nua, Maigh Cuilinn, Co. na Gaillimhe; Scoil Chroí Naofa, Tuam Road, Athenry; Scoil Iósaif Naofa, Maree Road, Oranmore; and St Paul's Secondary School, Oughterard.
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The idea behind the programme is to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities, alleviate congestion at school gates, and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school by providing walking and cycling facilities.
The schools will be assigned a Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Officer from An Taisce Green Schools. The officer will work with the school to develop a plan to make the journey to school safer. The delivery plan will be implemented by the Galway city and county councils from the €1.8 billion committed by the Government for walking and cycling across the State over the next five years.
The programme has been welcomed by the deputy Mayor of Galway, Green Party Galway City Central councillor, Martina O’Connor [pictured below].
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“Children in schools across Galway want to walk or cycle to school, and we know that if they do, they arrive at school more alert,” she said. “This initiative will help reduce traffic, combat childhood obesity, and reduce local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The Green Party has achieved a historic increase in funding for walking and cycling and I’m happy to work with any school, whether they applied for the Safe Routes to School Programme or not, to help them get better walking and cycling infrastructure on the school run.”
Cllr O’Connor also noted that both the Galway Educate Together national school and St Joseph's Special School, on the Thomas Hynes Road, are both within the city’s recently announced decarbonisation zone.
“The two schools will be able to share in the benefits of any improvements made to cycling and walking routes nearby,” she saids. “Reducing the morning car chaos will also help reduce the neighbourhood’s carbon footprint.”
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The programme has also been welcomed by Green Party senator, Pauline O’Reilly. “A revolution in safe cycling and walking for children is needed for us to hit our climate targets,” she said, “but this revolution can be one that improves the lives of children.”
Minister of State and Fine Galway West TD, Hildegarde Naughton, who has responsibility for the programme within the Department of Transport noted that 931 schools applied for the scheme.
“The level of interest has been really positive,” she said, “and while we’re not in a position to fund projects for each of the 931 schools in 2021, a provisional multi-annual programme has been created which can allow for a rolling programme to facilitate all schools that applied. This means that when work is completed at one school, a new school from the list can be added to the programme.”
