Safer route to school on way for St Stephen's NS in Johnstown
Efforts to provide a safe route to St Stephen's National School in Navan will see improved cycling and walking facilities, new pedestrian crossings and safer roundabouts in Johnstown.
The Johnstown primary school was chosen for inclusion in the An Taisce's Safe Routes to School programme.
As St Stephens is located on the same campus as Colaiste na Mi and St Mary's Special School, over 1,600 children will benefit from the works.
The proposals require Part 8 planning consent and the application will be lodged shortly.
Subject to planning permission and funding from the NTA, the work is expected to take place during the summer months when the schools are closed.
Engineer Paul McKeown told councillors that Jacobs had been appointed as technical consultants and had prepared a design.
The design includes a new pedestrian entrance to the school, widening existing footpaths to convert them to pedestrian/cycling facilities, new walking links will also be provided and existing roundabouts and junctions will be improved to make them safer.
New raised table crossings will be provided in some locations, while new crossings with flashing Belisha beacons will also be installed.
Alan Lawes expressed concern that the pathway across a green that residents objected to was still in the plans .
"They would argue that their views weren't taken on board," he said.
Hw was told that as part of the part eight process people can make submissions.
Cllr Francis Deane said the new pedestrian entrance would take pressure off the main entrance.
Cllr Yemi Adenuga said; "This is a really welcome development, given the mad traffic that happens at the roundabout area during school periods.
"What guarantee is there that the concerns expressed during public consultation will be taken on board given that previous concerns were not really given consideration."
Cllr Emer Toibin asked if the proposals reflected what would happen when the road from Dunville opened and was told the plan took cognicance of the opening of the road.
The councillors were told the scheme is coordinated by An Taisce and funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority.