Wexford community raise concerns about safe routes to school scheme

Irish Independent

2 days ago

Board of management at Kiltealy NS say they want to see an outcome that will prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the pupils
Enniscorthy Guardian
Today at 04:11
Despite 92 submissions, a petition with over 300 signatures, and a public meeting which led to the unanimous rejection of the scheme, the people of Kiltealy remain fearful that a proposed Safe Routes to School project in their village will go ahead without any further consultation.
The scheme, which will see speed ramps constructed in the proximity of the school; pedestrian crossings erected in a number of locations; the removal of the set-down area outside the school with 26 car parking spaces removed; the installation of a two-metre wide footpaths throughout the village; and the reduction of the road width to six metres; is part of a national programme run by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
Designed to make it safer for children to walk and cycle to class, Safe Routes to School schemes are carried out in a finite number of Wexford schools on an annual basis. This year, Ballaghkeene NS and Kiltealy NS were two of the schools selected for the programme. Already, a number of community meetings have taken place in Ballaghkeene with residents expressing their reservations about both the scheme and the lack of public consultation prior to its approval.
While the Ballaghkeene scheme led to 24 submissions from members of the public, those living in Kiltealy – a village with a population of 466 according to the last census – have gone considerably further.
'The submission phase was completed on July 2 and there were 92 submissions in total,' said Kieron Doyle who has been involved in setting up the meetings in Kiltealy. 'We've had two community meetings and approximately 50 people at each of them, in the second meeting we unanimously agreed that we wanted to reject this programme in full."
The plan has the support of both the school board of management and the parish council.
Many of the submissions, which will now be considered by WCC, highlight a number of concerns and fears regarding the proposed scheme and how it will impact pedestrians and motorists in Kiltealy.
One of those submissions relates to an individual undergoing medical treatment who will be discommoded by the installation of pencil bollards.
"Don't get me wrong, safety comes first but how do you expect a dialysis patient to go and be picked up from another location when he has been picked up outside his gate for the last 30 years?' they ask. 'Sometimes he is not in good health after coming back from being on dialysis for four hours or more. He is picked up by a bus which is funded by the HSE and you expect him to go and be collected in another location? He has to have his dialysis and be picked up outside his gate.
'What we want is to go back a little bit with the pencil bollards so they can leave enough space for a vehicle to park, especially if they are planning to put a ramp outside the pier.'
With regards to the scheme's overall impact on the village, many of those who have filed official submissions suggested Kiltealy would become less safe if the works go ahead.
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'It is difficult to understand how anyone, conducting a health and safety risk assessment of the proposed changes could conclude that these measures will reduce the risks faced by our children on their way to and from school each day,' one wrote. 'Currently, children are dropped to school outside of the school gates. Going forward if the proposed measures are approved, children will be walking from either the graveyard or hall carpark.
"The hall carpark is already limited in capacity at times and will now be expected to handle a significantly higher volume of cars. However, it lacks a circular flow of traffic and only has one entry and exit point which will exacerbate congestion and create a more hazardous environment.'
Arguing that the proposed changes will simply move the congestion issues elsewhere, the resident said some aspects of the plan are 'definitely positive' but that, in order to find a workable solution, 'all sections of the community' needed to be involved in the decision-making process.
The issue of consultation and ensuring the voices of the public are listened to, was also referenced in another submission.
'It is my understanding that the wider Kiltealy community was not adequately consulted during the early stages of this process,' they wrote. 'As a result, many local residents feel that their views and concerns have not been sufficiently considered, and there is a general lack of agreement with the proposals as they currently stand.
'I respectfully request that further consultation be undertaken with the community to ensure a more inclusive and transparent process. This would also allow for alternative options to be explored which may better reflect the needs and priorities of those directly affected.'
A parent of three children under the age of five explained why they felt compelled to 'strongly object' to the proposal.
'Shifting the problem down the road to the community centre carpark where there is a large number of tiny toddlers arriving and leaving the playschool at the same times is not the answer,' they wrote. 'This is also the same carpark for the large playground which attracts a lot of users from near and afar daily and also the carpark for the community gym which is constantly busy and in use.
'As a mother who is currently doing drop off and collections in this small carpark five days a week I can firmly give my opinion that this is in no way an improvement or a solution to the current situation at the primary school. Moving the primary school parents' designated drop off/collection point to the community carpark will create more problems such as a severe shortage of parking spaces and pose a serious risk to the toddlers attending the playschool.
'The prospect of parking by the school with two toddlers multiple times a day causes me great stress and worry. Having to unload a double pram to unload three children to then walk up to the school, then walk back with two of them, is just not feasible every day.'
A fellow parent explained that, as someone whose children attend a rural school, it was generally accepted that some pupils would have to be driven to the gates every morning.
'We have no choice but to drive to our rural community school. It is neither convenient nor safe to think I will be able to park the proposed distance from the school and safely walk all four of my children through a busy village. I have two hands and four children. I can not hold hands with all four of them. They are all well-behaved, however, they're young, and all children no matter how well-behaved, can be unpredictable. They do not have the same regard for safety.
"I am certainly not against walking. We are a very active family. The walk is not the issue. Not having a set-down area for parents is a safety issue. People in a hurry to work, people with sick children in the car, or very young babies could make mistakes, could drop off as close to the school as possible but this will mean children being set-down at unsafe areas not designated to the task.'
However, in support of the changes one resident, who wished to remain anonymous said: "It is evident that some members are opposed to this scheme, despite its obvious benefits. But there is a considerable portion in favour.
"Many are unhappy with these signs saying Kiltealy Says No which have mysteriously appeared in the village. It gives the impression that the entire village is against this scheme, which is blatantly not true.
"Many Kiltealy people, as laid out in submissions, believe there is a greater good at play here and that some small change and small sacrifice will result in a safer environment for our children.
"Many believe this is a sacrifice worth paying."
Kiltealy NS's board of management has outlined its reasons for approving the scheme.
'Concerns regarding traffic speed and congestion outside the school, particularly during drop-off and pick-up times, have long been a significant issue for both the school itself and the wider Kiltealy National School community,' read a statement issued by principal of the school, Maeve Duff. "Current and previous boards of management have made repeated representations to the local authority seeking action to address these matters.'
Following the launch of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme in 2021, Kiltealy NS submitted an application and was subsequently accepted into the programme. In September 2024, the school was notified of its selection for Round 3 of the SRTS Programme.
"During the initial stages of engagement, the board of management put forward the school's specific concerns regarding traffic speed and congestion,' continues the statement. 'These concerns were further heightened following a road traffic incident earlier that year involving a staff member who was commuting through the village, to the school, just prior to morning drop-off time.
'As part of the programme, the SRTS team conducted an audit, which included the observation of traffic flow during school drop-off and collection times. In addition, communication with parents was initiated via a letter from the SRTS, providing background information on the programme and a survey link, this letter and survey link was distributed to parents through the school's online communication platform.
"Upon the collection and analysis of this data, the SRTS engaged with the local authority, WCC, which was tasked with drafting a preliminary design to address the concerns raised.'
According to the board of management it, along with 'various community stakeholders', were afforded the opportunity to review this preliminary design at a dedicated stakeholder early engagement session organised by the SRTS.
"This session enabled attendees to raise questions and express concerns regarding the proposed measures,' the board of management states. 'These were acknowledged and considered by the relevant authorities during the meeting.'
The plan has also received support from the Parish Council.
"Overall, Kiltealy Parish Council supports the proposed Kiltealy Safe Routes to School. After considering the potential impact on access to church properties such as the Church, Parochial House, parish car park, and graveyard, and the likely loss of existing on street car park spaces, we believe the long-term safety and wellbeing benefits for our school children and the wider community outweigh any short-term challenges and change that can likely be managed. The safety of the school children now and into the future is our primary consideration.'
Currently awaiting approval from the local council, a vote on whether to go ahead with the scheme will be made at a future district meeting.
And for Kieron, the fear is that the situation facing those in Ballaghkeene will be repeated in Kiltealy.
'That's been the case elsewhere,' he said when asked if he expected the scheme to be pushed through without consultation. 'It seems to be the modus operandi if you look at what happened in the Ballagh; acting without people being fully aware of what's going on. It will get done over the summer when no one's looking, and it can't be undone then.'
The statement from the board of management said: 'The board of management of Kiltealy National School remains confident that WCC will give due consideration to all submissions received and will develop a final plan that effectively addresses the longstanding issues of traffic speed and congestion outside the school. It is our expectation that the outcome will prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our pupils – a matter which has always been, and will continue to be, our foremost concern,' the statement concludes.