Two more Offaly schools added to Safe Routes programme

TWO more Offaly schools, Scoil Bhríde in Edenderry and Scoil Mhuire in Tullamore, have been selected for inclusion in Round 2 of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programme.

They join Banagher College and Saint Rynagh's NS along with St Joseph's NS in Tullamore and St Mary's Secondary School, Edenderry who were successful in Round 1.

Welcoming the development Junior Minister Pippa Hackett said: “Choosing walking or cycling over taking the car for shorter journey has many benefits; it fosters independence, is a healthy way for our young people to get around and helps us all to cut emissions and air pollution. Creating safer routes to school for children provides a reassurance for parents and an incentive for children to travel to school in an active, safe way. I congratulate the Offaly schools who have been awarded this funding today and I look forward to seeing the progression of the projects.”

Cllr. Mark Hackett commented: “Safer Routes to School (SRTS) is a common-sense initiative to making school travel safer and to alleviate the traffic congestion caused by school-runs. It is great to see two more Offaly schools included in the expanded programme. These additional facilities, in and close to schools, will encourage children to cycle, scoot and walk to school and will put parent’s minds at ease. It also acts a reminder for other road users to be aware of, and keep our schoolchildren safe as they make their way to and from school in an active way.”

The announcement was made on Monday by Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton.

The Safe Routes to School Programme aims to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities, alleviate congestion at the school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school by providing improvements to walking and cycling facilities. The launch of the second round of the programme today will see over 37,000 students across Ireland benefit from safer infrastructure and encourage them to cycle, walk and wheel to school.

Speaking from her home county of Galway at the launch of round two of the Safe Routes to School Programme, Minister Naughton said: “I am delighted to be able to bring some festive cheer to schools nationwide by confirming that thousands of more children nationwide will soon benefit from safer infrastructure which will allow them to walk, cycle and scoot to school every day.

“In recent months I have had the privilege of visiting schools across the country and have seen first-hand the positive impact that Safe Routes to School projects are having on our children’s daily lives. During these visits the message was loud and clear that there is a huge appetite for the continued rollout of the Safe Routes to School Programme in our villages, towns, and cities across the country. Now, having secured the necessary funding as part of Budget 2023, it is great to see the programme continue to go from strength to strength. My ambition is that every child in Ireland will have the option to make their daily commute to the classroom by foot, bicycle or scooter in a way that they are safe and protected; one that I am confident is shared amongst children, their parents, teachers and the wider school community.”

CEO of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham said: “The National Transport Authority is responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of Safe Routes to School projects right across the country.  Our Active Travel team is already working closely with local authorities on the rollout of the Round 1 schemes, and it has been encouraging to see more young people cycling, walking/scooting to school as a result.

The programme is funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA) and is supported by the Department of Education. An Taisce’s Green-Schools is co-ordinating the programme, while funding will be made available to local authorities which will play a key part in delivering the infrastructure. €20m has been allocated for projects included in Round 2 with the funds coming from each local authority’s annual allocation for Active Travel works.

In recent weeks, a number of schools that took part in Round 1 have started seeing their projects come to fruition including Limerick’s first School Street at An Mhodhscoil on O’Connell Ave in the city centre, and a new School Zone at Bunscoil Rinn an Chablaigh in Cobh, County Cork, creating a safer and calmer area to support children walking, cycling or scooting.