Safe Routes scheme could see a Pearse Park avenue in Dundalk closed to traffic

Two new pedestrian crossings at McEntee Avenue and the closing off of a section of Pearse Park to traffic to ease congestion, along with a new footpath through the grounds of St Louis Secondary School, are among measures that may be undertaken in Dundalk, as part of the Active Travel - Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme, councillors were told at the Dundalk Municipal District October meeting.

Councillors were given a presentation at the October meeting from Mr Noel Treanor, Senior Executive Engineer, on the SRTS programme, an initiative developed in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Green-Schools as a response to the need to support schools to increase walking and cycling to school.

Louth County Council has received funding from the NTA for eight schools in the county, over two separate rounds of funding,  to implement the programme, which aims to improve safety at the school gate; improve walking and cycling infrastructure to schools; and expand cycle parking at schools.

The Round 1 schools in Louth are, St Louis Secondary School; Rehab Care, Mill Street; St Joseph's, Drogheda; and St Brigid's & St Patrick's Bothar Brugha, Drogheda.

In Round 2 the schools are, St Malachy's Girls National School, Dundalk; Bellurgan National School; St Mary's National School, Knockbridge; and Callystown National School in Clogherhead.

Councillors were presented with statistics at the meeting that compared the numbers of children who travelled to school on foot or cycled; by public transport; or by car in the 1980's to the number who travelled by each mode of transport in 2016. 

It was revealed that in the 1980's around 55% of pupils walked or cycled to school, while around 25% travelled by car, and around 20% by public transport.

By 2016, it was found that a complete turnaround had taken place, with 60% of pupils travelling by car, around 25% walked or cycled, and around 15% by public transport.

How pupils travel to school needs attention, the meeting was told, as increasing the number of those who walk or cycle, would improve road safety, air quality and be beneficial to people's health, with the NTA's target in the programme being the 60% of pupils who travel by car.

The meeting was told that to make it safer for pupils to walk or cycle to school, the creation of walkable, cyclable and public transport orientated communities require that designers re-examine the way streets are designed in order to meet the needs of all users.

According to the Department of Transport, there is a growing appreciation that streets should not just be corridors for traffic, but rather should be places in which people want to live and spend time.

Streets also need to facilitate more sustainable forms of transportation such as walking, cycling and public transport so the need for car-borne trips is minimised in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote healthier lifestyles.

In recognition of these objectives, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, together with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government commissioned the preparation of the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS).

DMURS applies to all roads and streets with a speed limit of 60km/hr or less. It includes the narrowing of streets/roads; reducing speeds; more pedestrian crossing points; reduced priority for cars; and Place Making with planting and street furniture. Among the key considerations are segregated cycle lanes and improved junctions.

Explaining how local schools are progressing in the SRTS programme, Mr Treanor told the meeting that Round 2 schools are at Stage 6, a submission stage where they are meeting each school principal to show them preliminary designs and get buy in on them before issuing the designs to tender and public consultation.

Round 1 schools are at Stage 7 where engagement with the local community takes place to get support for more detailed designs.

Showing the meeting some of the plans for local schools, Mr Treanor told the meeting that they have met the principal at St Louis Secondary School and the De La Salle Secondary School, and that they are planning to create a new footpath that will create a linkage between the two schools and would remain open during out of school hours.

Other measures there may include pencil bollards outside the schools and possibly traffic signals at the crossroads at Mill Road. There are also proposals on how to deal with the 21 school buses that serve both schools that congregate at Bellewsbridge Road, that may see them moved to Mill Road.

At St Malachy's Girls National School, the proposals include pencil bollards, traffic light signals and possibly closing off part of Pearse Park to ease congestion - Mr Treanor stressed however that they are at preliminary stages and that they would be in consultation with the school principals and local residents on the plans.

At Rehab Care at Mill Street in Dundalk, an area where there is a lot of traffic congestion at school mornings, the meeting was told, that some hard decisions would have to be taken, which may include making Mill Street one way to traffic.

Welcoming the update on the plans for the town, a number of councillors queried the plans for McEntee Avenue and St Louis. Cllr Yore asked for clarification on where the pedestrian crossings would be at McEntee Avenue.

Mr Treanor confirmed the plan was to locate one between the school walkway and the car park entrance across the road, and one further down, closer to Pearse Park. The crossing closer to the school would include traffic lights with pedestrian push buttons.

He added that the plans for this area would tie in with the larger Active Travel plans for the area that covers also Dundalk Train Station and Dundalk Bus Station.

Replying to a query from Cllr Conor Keelan on closing off part of Pearse Park, the meeting was told that it would be the "top avenue" that they were proposing to close off. Following a suggestion from Cllr Seán Kelly that the "middle avenue" be the one to close to traffic, Mr Treanor suggested that they were open minded on it and welcomed on the ground knowledge that would help make the decision.

Cllr Robert Nash welcomed the plans, adding that he was lucky enough to be able to allow his children walk to school, but added that he would have concerns regarding diverting traffic from the Mill Road to the Bellewsbridge area as it would become very congested. 

Cllr Seán Kelly said that he would be concerned about a footpath in St Louis that would be open at night, might lead to anti social behaviour and to perhaps only have it opened during the day. He added that moving buses to Mill Road and traffic to Bellewsbridge Road might be a challenge, because "there's no talking to" some parents who would refuse to park somewhere else while waiting for their children.