Ten Portlaoise schools lead drive for sustainable travel
Holy Family Senior School Green Schools Committee pupils at the Portlaoise Cluster Project Awards with Allison Phillips, Green-Schools Travel Programme Manager; LCC deputy cathaoirleach Cllr Paschal McEvoy; LCC director of services Pat Delaney: LCC Environmental Awareness Officer Steven Mullally; Anne Marie O'Hara, Green Schools Coordinator, Holy Family Senior School; Dr Faye Carroll, principal officer in the Active Travel and Greenway Division of the Department of Transport and Cathy Baxter, director, Environmental Education Unit, An Taisce. Photo: Alf Harvey
AN AWARDS celebration marked the success of a groundbreaking schools’ climate action project in Portlaoise.
Students, teachers and community leaders gathered at Holy Family Senior School for the Portlaoise Schools Cluster Project Awards, marking the completion of a pioneering two-year journey that transformed how young people travel to schools throughout the town.
As part of the Portlaoise Low Carbon Town initiative, the project brought together 10 primary and secondary schools, in collaboration with Laois Co Council and An Taisce’s Green-Schools Programme.
The project aimed to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and enhance road safety by encouraging more students to walk, cycle, scoot, park and stride or use public transport, as part of a shared effort.
Survey data collected as part of the Green Flag application process showed that over 1,226 students regularly walked or participated in park and stride, while the 10 participating schools recorded a 14 per cent reduction in car-based school journeys. Active travel modes increased by 12 per cent, alongside a two per cent rise in sustainable transport options such as bus, train and carpooling.
Students walked more than 143,442kms over the two years, a total of over 94 million steps, which is the equivalent of walking 400 times the length of the River Shannon or travelling 3.5 times around the Earth.
According to project organisers, participating schools reduced emissions by about 8,614kg of COâ, which is a whole year of carbon consumption for 400 trees or nearly two million charges for the average smartphone.
Students also had a platform to shape local initiatives through Travel Forums held in County Hall, where their ideas helped inform campaigns such as the ‘Keep Your Distance’ cycle safety initiative and improvements to local infrastructure.
Student leadership was at the heart of the project’s success, according to Laois Co Council director of services Pat Delaney who said: “This project has shown what can be achieved through collaboration and partnership. What began as a pilot has now evolved into a proven model of best practice.”
Speaking at the awards ceremony on 18 May, council vice-chair Cllr Paschal McEvoy praised the students’ role in driving change, as he commented: “It is clear that you are not just learning, you are leading. You bring energy, great ideas and creativity. You’re showing us that positive change really is possible.”
Students were presented with Green-Schools Travel and Global Citizenship Travel Flags, recognising their achievements and commitment to sustainable lifestyles.
The Portlaoise Schools Cluster Project represents a first-of-its-kind initiative in Ireland, demonstrating the impact of a coordinated, town-wide approach to sustainable school travel. The programme aligns with wider investments in active travel infrastructure, including new cycle routes, expanded bus services and community-focused initiatives such as the Play Way.
A council spokesperson observed: “By combining behavioural change with infrastructure development, the project has positioned Portlaoise as a national leader in active travel and created a model that can be replicated in towns across the country.”
