Independent Councillor Geraldine Donohue this week called on the Loughrea Municipal District meeting to write to the Department of Transport asking for the re-opening of the Safe Routes to School Programme for all schools that had not applied back in 2021 and be given the opportunity to apply now.
Cllr Donohue raised the issue following an update she received from An Taisce who coordinate the SRTSP. “It is vitally important that our primary and secondary schools are supported with any safety concerns that they raise and prioritised so that our school locations are safer for all,” she said.
The programme is coordinated by the SRTS Team at An Taisce, in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA ) and the local authorities. The programme is an initiative of the Department of Transport, is supported by the Department of Education and forms part of the National Development Plan (2021-2030 ).
Cllr Donohue said that four years is a long time for the schools to have to wait.
“What ever reason caused them to miss the opportunity to apply in 2021; they should now have the opportunity to apply again,” she said.
School Safety and traffic calming in school locations are key elements of Cllr Donohue’s constituency work and she works closely with schools to assist them with same.
She has allocated Notice of Motion money for items such as rumble strips, additional signage, driver feedback etc over the years at various schools to assist with the safety concerns that schools raise with her.
