The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme was developed in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Green-Schools in 2020 as a response to the need to support schools to increase walking and cycling to school.
Limerick City & County Council’s Active Travel team is tasked with delivering the infrastructure to provide the Scheme, following successful funding applications from the schools directly to the NTA.
An Mhodhscoil was selected for inclusion in the first round of the Safe Routes to School programme in 2021.
The Scheme:
The works when completed (and launched in September 2022) were Limerick’s first ‘School Street’ and one of the first in the country.
The project, on Roden Street just off of O’ Connell Avenue, is designed to remove vehicle traffic from the area directly outside the school gates at the crucial drop-off and pick-up times.
The works include:
- Between the hours of 8am and 9am and 1.15pm and 2.45pm, vehicles are requested not to enter the street (except for crèche buses, residents and staff), allowing for a safer space for children.
- Footpaths on Roden Street have been widened for pedestrians and cyclists, and the road has been narrowed.
- Pencil-shaped bollards and planting have been added along Roden Street to enhance the pedestrian space outside the school.
Improvements have also been made to O’Connell Avenue and Quin Street and include:
- The pedestrian crossing on O’Connell Avenue, directly in front of the school, has been improved to provide a shorter crossing distance.
- Additional planting and rain gardens have been installed and will add to the attractiveness and enjoyment of the space.
- A new pedestrian crossing at Quin Street will prioritise pedestrians.
The National Transport Authority has published a video detailing the progress of the Scheme and its positive impact on students and staff at the school.
It can be viewed below.