Traffic problems outside two national schools in Offaly housing estate highlighted

Traffic congestion outside two national schools in a Tullamore housing estate has been highlighted by a candidate in this summer's local elections.

Liam Walsh, Green Party candidate in the Tullamore Municipal District for the 2024 Local Government elections, recently visited Arden View in Tullamore and spoke to residents about a number of local issues, in particular traffic problems.

He stated that the issue which was of most pressing concern to residents was the traffic congestion in the mornings and evenings outside the two primary schools in Arden View, namely St. Joseph’s N.S and Scoil Eoin Phóil II Naofa.

Aside from the serious traffic congestion caused by the large volume of traffic congregating outside the two schools several residents expressed serious concerns in relation to pedestrian safety resulting from the very high levels of school related traffic.

“This has been an ongoing issue for years and now needs to be resolved,” said the Green Party man.

Having spoken to a number of residents possible actions to alleviate the traffic congestion and improve public safety were outlined by those residents to Mr Walsh and he stated that the suggestions included using a portion of existing green spaces to reduce the volume of traffic on the road linking the Arden Road and Clontarf Road.

He stated that it was vital that children be able to dismount/mount school buses in designated areas off the main road and then be able to walk on designated footpaths to/from their school safely.”

Mr Walsh outlined a proposal which he said would significantly reduce traffic congestion and enhance pedestrian safety around the two schools. His proposal is that a slip road be constructed adjacent to the existing roadway linking the Arden Road to Clontarf Road and this road would be for use exclusively by school traffic.

The entrance to the proposed slip road would be approx. 100 metres from the Arden Road junction so that school traffic turning into Arden View off the Arden Road would veer onto this slip road and the slip road would be wide enough to have parking bays for buses and for cars.

The slip road would be approx. 100 metres long and then would filter back on to the main Arden View Road. He stated that by providing this slip road the school traffic entering Arden View from Arden Road would not need to park on the side of the main Arden View Road or on the grass, as they currently do.

Said the local elections candidate: “The children, after dismounting a vehicle would have a footpath to walk to the schools and would not need to cross the Arden View road either on their way to school in the morning or after school finishes. In relation to school traffic entering Arden View from Clontarf Road he said there was scope to widen the main Arden View road for approx. 60 metres opposite Scoil Eoin Phóil 11 Naofa and the extra space would be for busses and cars to pull in off the main road to allow children to dismount/mount the vehicles. A pedestrian crossing would then be installed marshalled by a school traffic warden to allow safe access to and from the school. Walsh stated that while his proposal would result in the loss of some green space there would still be ample green space remaining but his proposal he felt, would very significantly ease traffic congestion around the two schools, with similar significant improvement in pedestrian safety for all.”

Mr Walsh also stated “there are too many in our community who are excluded by our built infrastructure and lack of services.”

“Nothing about us, without us” is his personal ethos when working on any project he stressed.

To get in contact with Liam Walsh you can email him on liam.walsh@greenparty.ie