Acknowledgement – As Published Limerick Leader
Five more Limerick schools get green light for improved pedestrian and cycling facilities
THERE’s good news for five Limerick schools which are to receive improved pedestrian and cycling facilities as part of a government-backed initiative.
The Safe Routes to School Programme creates safer walking and cycling routes within communities, to alleviate congestion at the school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school by improving these facilities.
After the success of Round One, which saw several schools across Limerick including An Mhodhscoil (The Model School) in Limerick city recently receive funding for improvement works, another five schools across the Treaty County have now received the go ahead for improvements of their own.
Principal Brendan Burke of Hazelwood College in Dromcollogher which has been included, agrees the scheme is a positive for each chosen Limerick school: “Any school will be delighted”, he began, “it caters for everybody”.
Speaking on behalf of his own school, he added: “There have been traffic problems here for a large number of years, and we’re delighted to make it safer for those who do walk, cycle and exit from cars.”
As well as Hazelwood College, four other schools across Limerick City and County have been earmarked to receive improvements.
These include Caherconlish National School, Crescent College Comprehensive SJ (Dooradoyle), Lisnagry National School and St. Patrick’s GNS at Dublin Road in the city.
In addition to Limerick, 103 other schools across the country have been chosen for this scheme with a total of 37,000 students to benefit from safer infrastructure, which in turn will encourage students to walk, cycle and wheel to school.
Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD, alongside the National Transport Authority, commented: “I am delighted to be able to bring some festive cheer to schools nationwide by confirming that thousands of more children nationwide will soon benefit from safer infrastructure.”
The Safer Routes to School programme is funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA) and is supported by the Department of Education.
A total of €20m has been allocated for projects included in Round 2 with the funds coming from each local authority’s annual allocation for Active Travel works.