Dundalk councillors seek solutions to traffic warden shortage

Louth County Council is working to resolve a shortage of school traffic wardens in the county, and along with trying to recruit more, is training up general operatives to provide cover, councillors were told at the Dundalk Municipal District April meeting.

Cllr John Reilly raised the matter at the April meeting, seeking an update on a traffic warden for Mullholland Avenue at the St Malachy's National School, saying that at the entrance there was “mayhem” when schools get out and that he understood that there was a vacancy for a traffic warden there that was not being filled.

Senior Engineer Mark Johnston responded to say that there is a problem with getting enough school warden's at the minute, and that Louth County Council does not have enough wardens to cover what is required at present.

Mr Johnston went on to say that the Council is trying to recruit school wardens at present as “we're short of wardens generally”. He said that they are trying to train up some general operatives to fill in but they have to be garda vetted, and by the time they appoint school wardens, “it will be for next season”.

Cllr Conor Keelan put forward that he had raised previously that in some cases, school children are used to act as traffic wardens, with similar schemes being used in Copenhagen, and put forward that they be used here to address the problem.

Cllr Tomás Sharkey agreed that there are programmes were students act as traffic wardens in teams of six, with three on each side of the road and a lolipop on each side also.

Mr Johnston said, following a query from Cllr Robert Nash in relation to the appointment of a traffic warden at the Avenue Road/Inner Relief Road roundabout, that once they install pedestrian crossings they usually remove the school wardens, who are then moved somewhere else.

He added that it does free up more people, but with more retiring since Covid they are still “a bit short”. Mr Johnston further added that the six student team of traffic wardens is a good idea and he would raise it with the road safety officer who deals with the schools.