‘Next week is too late’: Kerry residents beg for action on busy road with three schools

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

Kerry residents have highlighted the danger to life on a busy school road and have pressed the council to take immediate action.

A deputation was heard at Castleisland’s Municipal District (MD) meeting concerning the traffic on the busy College Road, which hosts three schools and has been witness to several near misses according to school management.

Conal Kelly, principal teacher at Scoil Noamh Chárthaigh, said children and parents fear for their safety due to chaotic traffic during school rush hours while there are also fast moving vehicles throughout the day.

Though the road’s speed limit will be reduced from 50km/h to 30km/h in the new year, owing to nationwide overhaul of default speed limits, Mr Kelly called for the limit to be changed immediately, as well as a school traffic warden and zebra crossing to be put in place.

“When is the sufficient time to put something in place? After a child, staff member or parent are involved in an accident?” he asked.

“In my eyes, next week is too late because it only takes today, this evening or tomorrow morning for a child to be hit.”

College Road hosts St Patrick’s Secondary School, Naomh Charthaigh Boys National School and senior high school, Colaiste Phadraig Naofa, totalling around 500 pupils.

As well as reporting an incident where a school parent had been inches from a serious accident, with a moving vehicle brushing their legs, Mr Kelly also pointed to farm traffic adding to the hazards.

He cited an incident where a tractor was travelling so fast along College Road that the vehicle was reported to the Gardaí.

“Unfortunately, we have some operators that’ll carry on in a cavalier type fashion,” said Councillor Bobby O’Connell, “but 95 per cent of them are very responsible…some tractors are showing no caution and it’s extremely dangerous”.

Junior road safety officer, 12-year-old Lucas Quintan expressed his fear over the situation and urged the council to “be proactive” and seek funding for a lollipop man and zebra crossing.

“I’m very concerned by the amount of traffic passing by the school and turning in the morning and afternoon time,” said Lucas.

“I’m very worried there’ll be an accident someday.”

Councillor Charlie Farrelly, who brought the deputation to the MD meeting and who picks up his grandchildren everyday from College Road, asked for a permanent traffic warden to be trained up.

“It’s an extremely busy place…we’re not looking for one lollipop person for one school, we’re looking for one for three schools,” said Cllr Farrelly.

Other councillors suggested that speed ramps were the only way to slow traffic down, given previous council experiences with speeders.

“You can’t put a price on road safety. These really are basics,” said Councillor Jackie Healy-Rae.

“Unfortunately, we live in a world where unless there’s an impediment or a threat of something happening to you, you’ll continue to do the same thing over and over again.”

Councillor Tommy Griffin agreed that solutions like vehicle activated speed signs and Garda enforcement, which couldn’t be there 24 hours a day, didn’t work and that ramps were the “most effective”.

The council said they were trying to source funding for safety measures and had invited the deputation to make submissions to the Castleisland masterplan.