Parents and children fear serious accident on daily walk to school in Celbridge

Concerned parents have said enough is enough, as they call for a safer access route to be provided for children and parents going to St Patrick’s Primary School in Celbridge, County Kildare. 

On Friday 13 September, to protest the lack of a safe access route, hundreds of children and parents will block morning rush-hour traffic from 8:15am to 8:50am. They have called for all relevant parties to "OPEN THE GATE, KEEP KIDS SAFE."

In January of this year, a mother and child were hit by a van and required emergency medical attention. And after a series of near misses, worried parents and others in the community are calling for action.

A designated pedestrian gate - at a safer location - was conditioned in the original planning permission by Kildare County Council and is deemed as the only safe access to the school. However, this gate remains closed.

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Children are instead forced to walk or cycle on an open pathway adjacent to a busy regional road with trucks, buses and cars passing at speed within yards of them. In addition to this, more Dublin Bus routes are being added along the route as well as construction vehicles from a large development. 

As well as this, there are no traffic wardens, signage, or raised pedestrian crossings along the route where the children are crossing busy junctions. The road also experiences heavy commuter traffic with the Hazelhatch/Celbridge train station nearby.

Parents are seriously concerned that it is only a matter of time before a child is seriously injured or worse. Parents are extremely frustrated that there is a safer, alternative route located closer to the school but it remains not in use due the gate being closed.

Protesters will gather at the junction of Hazelhatch Rd. (R405) and Willow Avenue at 8.15am on Friday 13 September. They will embark on a slow walk to the school, blocking rush-hour morning traffic in both directions.

Parents are asking for those to show support to the protest in the hopes that a safer route be provided to avoid any future accidents.