Urgent appeal for crossing at busy Laois secondary school

A SPEED ramp and pedestrian crossing are urgently needed outside a local secondary school, which has 950 students and is located near a busy filling station.

Cllr James Kelly appealed for traffic-calming measures at Mountrath Community School and the Applegreen service station, where he said safety improvements are desperately needed.

Cllr Kelly pointed out that there is a high volume of traffic on the busy road leading to Mountrath CS, St Fintan's Cemetery and Applegreen, but there is no safe crossing for pedestrians.

At the latest Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District meeting, he asked for a traffic calming ramp, which would include a pedestrian crossing, to be installed at Mountrath CS and Applegreen.

In a written response, senior engineer James Dowling said the council’s road design section would carry out an inspection on site, ‘to investigate suitable measures to be implemented’.

However, cllr Kelly pointed out that it was his fourth time making the proposal and each time he got the same reply. He said everyone knew how busy the road was, so there was no need for a traffic survey.

Cllr Kelly said: “It’s a very busy road. You have the community school with 950 pupils and the staff, you have CJ Sheeran’s busy Applegreen station and you have the cemetery there as well.

“Many students cross that road to get picked up from school at the petrol station. There are footpaths on both sides, so a ramp should fit in there fine.” The Mountrath councillor said he was at the school at 4pm the previous day and everyone was parking on the lovely green area. He said: “The grass was grand and firm yesterday but when the bad weather comes, it’ll be cut up in ribbons. We need to get funding for this as soon as possible.” He was supported by cllr John King, who recalled a similar situation at St Fergal’s College, Rathdowney some years ago. Once pedestrian crossings were installed, the area was much safer.

Cllr Kelly also asked for an update on the provision of a car park on county council land adjacent to Mountrath CS and St Fintan's Cemetery.

Ken Morley of the council’s community section replied that funding for the car park would be considered ‘as part of the overall budgetary process’. The council would also examine potential external funding opportunities.

Cllr Kelly also asked for street lights to be installed on the footpath at Spa Hill, Mountrath to provide safety for pedestrians. Mr Dowling confirmed that public lighting design and costings would be carried out for the project.