Concerned parents call for traffic calming measures at Louth national school

Senator Alison Comyn is working with residents close to Ballaposta National School, Ardee, to try and get a section of footpath and traffic calming measures installed, which they say could save lives.

The Louth Fianna Fáil Senator is liaising with engineers in Louth County Council, as well as senior officials, to source a possible funding stream for the work, and see if it could be carried out ahead of the new September term.

“This is an extremely busy section of road, with parents and children regularly using it to access the new school building,” says Senator Comyn.

“There is also a riding school, a boxing club and other businesses along the length of the road, all of which add greatly to the volume of traffic on the way to the school.”

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Local landowner Johnny Gartland has offered a strip of land along the edge of the road free of charge, leaving the council with just construction costs.

Parent Evelyn Judge says she has spoken to the council and was told there was no money left in this year’s budget, but she is afraid it will be too late to wait for the next round of funding.

“The time to act is now, before there is a serious accident,” says Evelyn, who walks her children to school with her twins in a buggy. “The existing footpath on the opposite side of the road just stops, and if there was a pedestrian crossing leading to a new section of footpath, it would make the walk to school so much safer.

Other residents of the road, as well as principal of Ballapousta NS Peter Dooley, are also supporting the call for the footpath to be installed as soon as possible.

John Butler, Dan Rock, Michael Forde and Fintan Malone are all on board with the plan to use Johnny’s land to make this road safer for school children and local pedestrians alike.

“I have been in contact with Louth County Council and asked them to treat this with the utmost urgency,” added Senator Comyn. “It would be ideal for an active travel plan, as a cycle lane would also fit in the land being offered, so there could be several funding streams applicable.”