Driver "took the mirror off car" outside Drumeela National School

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke asked what measures, in addition to the existing signage and speed monitoring, can be put in place on the approach road from both directions at Drumeela National School to slow down the traffic which he said "continues to threaten the safety of those coming and going to the school."

"Only recently we had an incident where a truck, coming from the direction of the Catholic Church, shaved the mirror off a car which was parked well in on the school side, whilst in an effort to avoid an oncoming vehicle which was travelling equally at an inappropriate speed," he said.

Cllr O'Rourke said: "A woman had just secured her child in the back of the car and on the left and was about to walk around when a vehicle came from the Carrigallen side. He noticed a vehicle approaching him and kept in on the left and in doing so, took the mirror off her car. Had she been in the wrong place at that time, anything might have happened."

He continued that this was "happening on a very frequent basis" and said drivers needed to be "slowed down" at the location. 

A report by Roads said the District Office has been in contact with the school principal on these issues.

The official response continued: "To date, we have installed driver feedback signs and we will install speed bar lining to both approaches. We will carry out inspection and any repair or maintenance of the school’s flashing lights. The Active Travel have this school for inclusion on the 'Safer Routes to School Programme' but the larger urban schools will get priority."

The response also continued that although the active school principal has been unsuccessful in the past, the District Office would encourage the school to continue with CLAR and Town and Village applications and will be assisted with these.

The District Office cannot erect ramps at this location as it has no public lighting or connecting footpaths, stated the response adding that the 50kph speed limits are clearly visible on both approaches to the school environs. 

"We can advise the Joint Policing Committee of the speed infringements at this location with the belief that a strategically placed speed van would sort out the speeding offenders," it concluded. 

District engineer, Darragh O'Boyle said that he "felt sympathy for the principal of Drumeela National School and she's been very, very active in trying to secure funding through CLAR and Towns and Villages." 

Mr O'Boyle continued; "I haven't sat on my hands on this and have put in additional driver feedback signs there; the speed limit signs are clear and visible from both sides and I'm going to go get the flashing school signs upgraded."

He said there needs to be a footpath at the other side of the road and needs to be publicly lit and there needs to be a pedestrian crossing; that's the only physical way I can slow the traffic down."

He said the other option was to park a speed van at the location. 

He said that Active Travel is "not interested; it doesn't meet their criteria regarding a number of people using it."

He added: "I hope to put a Restoration Improvement Grant (RIG) on it next year and will have to talk to the adjacent landowner."

He said that issues such as these need to be raised at the Joint Policing Committee meeting.