Urgent appeal for Laois school crossing

AN URGENT appeal has been made for a pedestrian crossing outside a Stradbally primary school, with warnings that children’s safety is at serious risk.

Cllr Vivienne Phelan called for a crossing outside Cosby NS on Main Street, particularly as parents can no longer use a safe drop-off point near the school.

She asked Laois County Council to “engage urgently” with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to install a crossing without delay.

Her proposal was supported by fellow councillors at the latest meeting of Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District.

Cllr Phelan said the issue is very urgent because Cosby NS has “no parking as such”. Over the years, parents used the field beside Dunne’s Pub to drop off and collect children but the field is no longer available, as a housing estate primarily for older people was built on the site.

She explained that, as a result, parents are using Court Square but parking spaces are needed by older people and those with disabilities, who need to access the pharmacy.

Cllr Phelan said that a very successful after-school service was established across the road from the school in the past two years, so the entire area is very busy with traffic. There is just one existing pedestrian crossing but in order to access it people have to cross Church Avenue, which tends to be congested and difficult to cross at school times.

The Fine Gael councillor said: “This is very urgent and it is children’s safety that is at risk.” 

Fellow Stradbally councillor Paschal McEvoy (FF) seconded the proposal, stressing that a safe crossing is needed as soon as possible.

Cllr Aisling Moran remarked that the dangerous situation is similar to Arles, which is also on the N80. She warned: “We have to start taking this seriously before there is a death.” 

 In a written response, the council’s road design section said that staff have engaged with TII and have conducted a site visit at a proposed location for the crossing.

The response added: ‘We are currently assessing the various options with a view to progressing works, based on a funding application to the TII.’ 

Senior engineer Tom Drennan said that it was up to the road design office to intervene directly with TII, but he would contact the office as he would like to see progress on the project.

Because Stradbally’s Main Street is on the main N80 road, works have to be carried out by TII.