Detailed design work to begin on road safety scheme at school in county Tipperary town
Councillors give green light for road project at St Mary's Central Primary School in Killenaule to move to the next stage
Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District councillors gave the green light at their January meeting for detailed design of a road safety improvement project at a Killenaule primary school to commence.
This follows on from the Part 8 planning application for the range of structural improvements at the front of St Mary’s Central National School being approved before Christmas.
The project encompasses a site of 0.37 hectares and includes parts of Bailey Street and the Killenaule School Road.
The front of school upgrade works approved include three gateway type sign locations for speed limit, driver feedback and school zone signs for drivers on the southbound approach to the school on the R689.
They also include two raised pedestrian crossing locations on the R689, one uncontrolled at the junction to the church carpark, the raised crossing to the shop is upgraded to a zebra crossing.
A raised table on the R689 immediately north of the school junction is also proposed along with tightening the junction at the entrance to the church car park to improve visibility for drivers exiting the car park.
The project also encompasses upgrading of the existing footpaths at the front of the school, provision of signage and road markings to define gateways and the front of school zone
A new bus stop shelter for the northbound service and the installation of a bus stop pole with bus kerbs for the southbound service are also included,
The Municipal District meeting was informed that the Council received no submissions from the public in relation to the planning application when it was put out to public consultation.
An archaeologist will have to be engaged to monitor the groundworks associated with the development.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Imelda Goldsboro proposed the project proceed to the next phase of detailed design. She lauded it as a “good news story” for Killenaule, which she had worked on securing for a number of years.
The Ballingarry councillor said it was badly needed for health and safety reasons for students and staff of St Mary’s, which was a very large school. It was also the approach road to Scoil Ruain Secondary School, she added.
Sinn Féin Cllr David Dunne from Carrick-on-Suir agreed it was great news for the town and seconded Cllr Goldsboro’s proposal.
However, he was concerned the Council received no submissions from the public in relation to the planning application and expressed the hope that people wouldn’t come along and complain about it when all the good work was done.
Labour Cllr Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan, who is from Killenaule, also welcomed the project but expressed disappointment that the work won’t be taking place this year.
“People thought it would be happening this year. They are looking for this for a long time,” he said.
District Cathaoirleach Cllr Mark Fitzgerald from Cloneen replied: “While you might think it’s disappointing, anyone else thinks it’s a great day. It’s a long time coming.”
“You often see in this game you find things don’t happen as quickly as you hope.
“It’s very welcome news for the people of Killenaule,” he said adding that the road in front of the school was “lethal” and an “accident waiting to happen”.