Free Park ‘n’ Stride scheme in Dundalk to ease school traffic and promote active travel

Photo Caption L-R: Garda Darragh Prior, Dundalk Community Policing Unit; John McGahon, CEO, Dundalk Chamber of Commerce; David Hanratty, Acting Director of Operations and Environment Delivery with Louth County Council; Cllr Seán Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council; Síle Holland, Fifth Class Teacher at Réalt Na Mara National School in Dundalk; Adrian O’Sullivan, Road Safety Officer, Louth County Council; and Garda Kate Patterson, Dundalk Community Policing Unit pictured with Fifth Class pupils from Réalt Na Mara National School in Dundalk (Middle Row (L-R): Dean Mc Ardle, Wyatt Scaia, Aoife O'Connor, Cara Minford and Mary Daly. Front Row (L-R): Anna-Kate Boyle, Blake Neary, Sophie Bowden Savage, David McCourt and Cillian Adams.) pictured at the launch of Louth County Council’s Park ‘n’ Stride initiative.

To mark Irish Road Safety Week, Louth County Council, in collaboration with Fifth Class pupils from Réalt Na Mara National School in Dundalk, An Garda Síochána, and the Dundalk Chamber of Commerce, is inviting parents and students to take a fresh look at how they travel to and from school and to consider registering for a Park ‘n’ Stride Permit.

This Park ‘n’ Stride initiative offers free parking for a limited time at designated car parks, allowing students to walk the final leg of their journey to or from school.

Cllr Seán Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council explains:

“We are all familiar with the increased levels of traffic on the roads following the return of schools after the summer break. Park ‘n’ Stride allows pupils travelling in cars to be dropped close to the school to complete the remainder of the journey on foot. It’s an alternative option for those who cannot change their travel patterns entirely but who want to avoid the traffic bottlenecks in the vicinity of the school gate.”

Phil McCaul, Principal of Réalt Na Mara National School in Dundalk, welcomed the Park ‘n’ Stride initiative, saying:

“Children travelling to school by car can mean increased congestion in the mornings and afternoons. Alternative options such as Park ‘n’ Stride, carpooling, walking or cycling together with public transport are all excellent ways of incorporating low carbon transport and exercise into our daily commutes and allows us all to enjoy cleaner air.”

The Council’s Park ‘n’ Stride initiative is supported by An Garda Síochána. Garda Kate Patterson and Garda Darragh Prior from the Community Policing Unit highlighted the road safety benefits of the initiative saying:

“Using the designated car parks helps reduce the daily congestion at school gates, making it a safer place for children and reducing the stress levels of parents and guardians who would otherwise struggle to find a parking space close to school gate.”  

David Hanratty, Acting Director of Operations and Environment Delivery with Louth County Council, added:  

“Many of us struggle to find the time to get active during the day with much of our routine made up of sitting: in traffic, at a desk, or in front of a screen. Active travel modes such as Park ‘n’ Stride and Safe Routes to School, are sustainable and can benefit our body, mind, and the environment. Walking to school, even for part of the journey, is great for children, it helps to build up important road safety skills and increases road safety directly outside schools. I would encourage parents to give Park ’n’ Stride a try.”

The initiative was welcomed by the Dundalk Chamber of Commerce with its CEO John McGahon seeing added benefits for local businesses:

Read Next: 49 new apartments officially opened on once-derelict site in Louth

“Dundalk is an excellent place to have a snack, meet friends and of course shop. The Chamber encourages all parents to apply for the scheme and for all retailers to let their customers know. The flexibility of the afternoon times allows for shopping either before or after the school finishes.”

Participants must display the Park ‘n’ Stride permit inside the front windscreen of their vehicle to avail of 60 minutes of free parking at any of the 14 participating car parks in the morning, between 8:30am and 9:30am, and again in the afternoon, between 1:00pm and 4:00pm.

Look out for the blue Park ‘n’ Stride logo at participating car parks. Participating car parks include: McEntee Avenue Cark Park, Rogers Car Park (Rampart Road), Dundalk Library, Rampart Road Long Term Car Park, Meadow Grove Car Park, Aura Leisure, St Joseph’s Redemptorist Car Park, Linenhall Street Car Park, The Longwalk Long Stay Car Park, Clanbrassil Centre Car Park, Longwalk Shopping Centre, Tesco Extra Car Park and Lidl Car Parks (Avenue Road and St Helena’s Terrace stores).

To receive a Park ‘n’ Stride Permit simply complete the online registration form available at www.Louthcoco.ie/ParknStride.