Dublin People - Parents furious over 'dangerous' school run

Home

News

Latest News

Parents furious over 'dangerous' school run

Thursday, 02 October 2008

NORTHSIDE parents say they have reached the end of their tether with a busy and dangerous Dublin 15 route they are forced to use twice a day to get their children to and from school.
The frustrated parents have described Porterstown Road as one of the worst roads in the area because of its relentless heavy traffic and narrow foothpath.
Instead of risking the short walk to local schools, such as the recently opened Scoil Choilm, parents are opting to drive.
But this has led to traffic chaos at the school gate in the morning and in the afternoon.
Tunde Adediran of the local parents’ association told Northside People that parents are even considering taking their children out of Scoil Choilm because of the problem.
“It’s really too dangerous for parents to walk their children to school,” he said.
“As a result they take their car which has its own knock-on effect.
“You would have expected the Department of Education to have consulted with the council before the school opened so that measures could be put in place to deal with the needs of the school and road users.”
Another furious parent, Adebowale Adebisi, explained how it takes him at least 45 minutes to drive from his home in Coolmine to Scoil Choilm where his child is in senior infants.

“I normally have to wait at the level crossing for a train to pass and then when I eventually get to the school, there is nowhere to park because there are so many cars,” he told Northside People.
“Some parents have even talked about paying for a bus service to be set up.”
Local TD Joan Burton (Lab) described the situation as an “accident waiting to happen”.
“Most of the children attending Scoil Choilm come from areas north and east of the school and the road to the northern side has a very narrow foothpath and there is no road at all from the eastern side,” she said.
“As a result, the opening of Scoil Choilm has led to a huge increase in traffic along the Porterstown Road at school opening and closing times.
“Part of the problem arises from the secrecy with which the Department of Education handled the opening of the new Scoil Choilm site.
“Local public representatives and Fingal County Council were largely kept in the dark, which meant that the council did not have a sufficient lead-in time to introduce the necessary safety measures.
“Now that the new school is open for business, the council must move without any further delay.”
A spokesperson for Fingal County Council said the council was aware of the need for safety in the area and it would erect warning signage in co-operation with the school.
“Earlier this year, the council approved the construction of the Porterstown Link Road, which will provide both access to the school and footpaths on either side on the road at the school,” the spokesperson revealed.
“Tender documents are being prepared for this work to be done. As an interim measure the possibility of putting in place pedestrian access between Diswellstown Roundabout and Porterstown Road is being examined by the council’s consulting engineers in consultation with the owners of the land.”

» No Comments

There are no comments up to now.

» Post Comment

Outrage over massive hike in horse fines

Thursday, 27 November 2008

The council say the new charges – almost a four-fold increase - which came into effect on November 1 are needed to keep the city horse pound running viably. The costs of having a horse...
+ Full Story

Little Kim gives Dail lesson in cutbacks

Thursday, 27 November 2008

Kim McDonnell, from Sacred Heart of Jesus in Huntstown, wrote to her local TD, Deputy Joan Burton (Lab), saying how she feared that some of her teachers were going to “get sacked because of...
+ Full Story

Brave Amy rewarded for saving brother

Thursday, 27 November 2008

In May, Northside People reported how Amy O’Donoghue (10), from Santry, dramatically rescued her younger brother, Lee (4) from drowning in the Canary Islands. Michael Kitt, Minister...
+ Full Story

Heartless thieves target lifeboat station

Thursday, 27 November 2008

The cards have been on sale since the end of October and are a Christmas favourite with people in the Skerries area. Mary Courtney, Skerries Lifeboat press officer, said the thieves gained entry...
+ Full Story