'Take the car off anyone speeding by schools'

Cars should be seized from motorists who speed past schools, a member of Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District has declared, as she called for further traffic-calming measures outside St Fintan’s National School in Lismacaffrey.

“Any person that’s putting their foot down going by a school needs to have their car taken off them,” Cllr Emily Wallace said.

She claimed that motorists who fail to observe the speed limits in place have “no conscience”, adding that they do not consider the consequences of an accident near a school.

“It’s not just the family, it’s the whole school community and it’s the community as a whole that that can impact. There is no need to be going that hard,” she said.

Cllr Wallace was speaking on her motion seeking an update on plans to deliver further traffic-calming measures at St Fintan’s National School.

The written response stated that pencil bollards and new flashing school warning lights had been installed at the school. Further traffic and road safety improvements could be considered under the Safe Routes to School Programme if the school wished to participate in the scheme.

However, Cllr Wallace said traffic was “absolutely bombing” along the R395. While welcoming the measures introduced to date, she argued that flashing lights were not enough and called for the installation of tabletop ramps.

“As we’ve said time and time again, traffic needs to be physically ‘hurt’ in relation to physically slowing their speed down,” she said.

Cllr Alfie Devine supported the call for further measures, describing the road on which St Fintan’s is located as a deathtrap.

Cllr David Jones also backed Cllr Wallace, saying there was no excuse for speeding and agreeing that ramps would benefit the school.

District engineer Pat Kavanagh said he intended to apply to the Department of Transport for funding for low-cost safety measures, with St Fintan’s to be included in the applications.

“I’ll actually include that as one of the applications and it could be something like what we did to the school at Ballinea if we get funding,” he said.

Ballinea

Meanwhile, Mr Kavanagh told councillors that the installation of tabletop ramps outside St Kenny National School in Ballinea had resulted in traffic speeds falling by as much as 20kmh.

“I’d say it was the most dramatic speed reduction I’ve ever seen from traffic calming,” he said.