Safety fears for pupils after departure ofschool traffic warden

Staff and parents at Rathbeggan National School outside Dunshaughlin are extremely worried for the safety of children, as the school no longer has a school traffic warden.

There has been no school warden at the school since last year, despite its location on a busy road, used by a large volume of drivers avoiding the toll at Pace.

The parents and staff have called on the council to provide a replacement warden, or else train volunteer wardens among the parents.

"We are very concerned. We are worried about drivers speeding as they travel to work, maybe running late. Some just ignore warning signs and drive through lights," said principal, Rob Small.

"It is a busy road and we have so much bad weather, it is a very dangerous situation.

"We are lucky in that a group of parents have volunteered to act as wardens, but Meath County Council asked us to check if our insurace would cover those volunteers and it does not.

"We have asked the council to replace the school warden who finished up last year or else train the volunteers and provide them with a uniform.We have heard nothing back."

Cllr Gillian Toole has been raising the issue at the Ratoath Municipal meetings and full County Council meetings, every month since last year.

"The last school warden was never replaced and the council tell me they are relying on 'engineering solutions'.

"I don't care what ramps or raised crossings are put in, it is not the same as having the warden there.

"There is a stop and drop at the front of the school but it cannot accommodate everyone, so some parents park across the road at the County Club, The road is extremely busy, with people travelling to the city to work and avoiding the tolls. Drivers are coming out of Dunshaughlin after going through a number of sets of lights and have just gathered up speed when they come to the school.

"No matter what traffic calming measures are in place, young children don't have the sense, they need adult intervention.

Cllr Toole's mother was principal at the school for 20 years and her daughter also went to school there. "I volunteer there on Mondays - we have a rota of parents helping children get in and out of cars and safely into school.

"Parents dropping children off to school may be under pressure to get to work or to get a older child to secondary school.

"We have recently got volunteer traffic wardens, but the school's insurance doesn't cover them.

"It is a busy, dangerous road and it is not good enough that the council is relying on 'engineering solution'. They need a school warden," she said.

A spokesperson for Meath County Council said the school is invited to make a request around Road Safety matters to the newly appointed Road Safety Officer.