Parents urged to change driving habits

At Monday’s Kilrush Electoral Area meeting, Councillor PJ Kelly asked that speed ramps be put in place on the eastern approach to the school. However, Mr Feeney told the meeting that parents should take responsibility for their driving habits and said ramps are not required.

“I suspect, and I use the term very loosely, that the main offenders are probably the users of the school. I don’t think it’s beyond the wit of the school to write and explain that situation to parents, that it is in their interest and that they should have some cognisance of the rules of the road in this instance. It’s their children that are attending the school,” Mr Feeney commented.

“I’ve been there myself and observed cars two if not three abreast on the road, which can create havoc and makes manoeuvring that little bit more difficult. If people were a bit more courteous and followed the road markings and speed limit signs, I think that would address the issue.

“We looked at this school previously. It came up in light of a speed limit review two years ago. A 50km speed limit was introduced outside the school, which should certainly have dealt with any issue. Coupled with that, we also put in designated car parking in front of the school for parents to drop off and park. We also put in a space for the bus to pull up,” Mr Feeney added.

However, he noted the bus driver cannot always park in his allocated parking space.

“We had discussions one day with the bus driver, who maintained he could never park in the bus space because there were always cars abandoned around it or in front of it. There are three or four busy times in Ballyea during the school drop-off and school pick-up. One message that the Road Safety Authority is constantly trying to get across is that people have to be responsible for their own actions,” the council engineer stated.

“You can’t expect that you’re always going to arrive at 9.10pm in a shower of sparks to drop off your child five minutes later. There has to be an element of people talking responsibility for their actions. You can’t have the State trying to govern for every eventuality for every permutation,” Mr Feeney maintained.

In forwarding his motion, Councillor Kelly outlined some concerns relating to traffic problems in Ballyea.

“There seems to be a lot of concern about traffic issues in Ballyea, which is a mini village. You have the church, the community centre and the school. Last-minute arrival at the school and at meetings appears to be the big problem.

“The local community feel that ramps should be the answer. Maybe they’re not right but one way or the other we have been forewarned and I hope an accident doesn’t take place there. They feel that speed ramps are about the only solution but obviously we have to bow to professional wisdom on the matter that they mightn’t be appropriate,” Councillor Kelly said.

Councillor Oliver Garry supported the motion.

“It is the most highly populated school in the area as a rural school. Enrolments are being turned away. People were upset about the way people drive in the area and they think that ramps would improve the behaviour of the way people drive. I would still be pushing for the speed ramps,” the Kildysart councillor commented.