Roll-out of ‘Safe Routes to School’ restricted due to lack of resources

From the Galway City Tribune – Not every school can be included in the ‘Safe Routes to School’ programme that is being rolled out across Galway City.

Galway City Council Director of Services for Transport, Patrick Greene, said to include every school would be a “ginormous” body of work that could not be completed in the lifetime of the City Development Plan 2023-29.

The City Council was focusing on a number of primary schools, and not secondary schools in the city boundaries, he said.

At a meeting to discuss the Development Plan, Chief Executive Brendan McGrath agreed and said that the Department of Transport and An Taisce were taking the lead on the Safe Routes to School programme.

They were responding to queries from Councillor Colette Connolly (Ind) who argued all schools, both primary and post primary, should have a safe route to school and should be included in the Safe Routes to School programme.

Mr Greene said the Council invited expressions of interest from primary schools and it was up to each school community, including parents, to opt to take part. Then it was a resources issue as to how many could be included, he said.

John Brennan, in a submission, expressed concern that the draft City Development Plan did not give sufficient weight to encouraging children to cycle to school.

At a Development Plan meeting, Cllr Connolly agreed and said that the plan should be strengthened to include policy that protects people walking and cycling to school.

She cited Castlegar School, which she visited as mayor, and where “you would be dead” if you tried to walk to it.

Mr McGrath said that Safe Routes to School was supported by the development plan.

He said the Council was “engaging with the school communities of Radharc na Mara NS, Scoil Bhríde NS, Scoil Iognáid NS, Galway Educate Together NS and St Joseph’s Special School to develop a ‘front of school’ design to make it safer for children walking, cycling and scooting to school”.

He added: “The design will also benefit residents and commuters walking and cycling through their neighbourhood.”