Longford / Roscommon pupils find that 68% of passing traffic is over speed limit

Ballyleague National School will encourage as many pupils as possible to take part in a Sustainable Travel Action Day on Friday, April 26.
Their hope is to raise awareness of the dangers that students and staff face on their daily commute to and from school.
During their superhero themed Action Day there will be games, quizzes and activities in the school as well as an all-school walk through Ballyleague.

The students of Ballyleague have been working their way through their Green Schools Travel Programme.
The programme encourages students, staff and parents to consider an active or sustainable form of travelling to school, such as walking, cycling, park n stride and carpooling.
“Students from Ballyleague NS are on the right track for their Sustainable Travel Day which is on April 26. The entire school will use a greener way to get to school on this day,” explained Ballyleague NS teacher and Green Schools coordinator Karen Kenny.

Unfortunately, due to the volume, speed and behaviour of traffic it is very difficult and unsafe for students to consider climate friendly forms of transport despite their best intentions.
The school is located on the edge of Lanesboro on the N63. During a speed survey that was carried out by Green Schools Travel Officer Ciaran Hussey and members of the school’s Green School committee, it was noted using a speed gun that 68% of passing traffic were over the speed limit of 50km/h.

When a pedestrian or cyclist is hit by a vehicle travelling at 50 km/h they have a 50% chance of surviving. But hit them at 60kmh and that chance drops to just 10% (from the Road Safety Authority website www.rsa.ie).
Mr Hussey pointed out, “Additionally, there is no safe pedestrian crossing on the N63 to allow students or residents to safely cross the busy road. Staff and visitor parking outside the school grounds are also an area of concern particularly during morning drop off and afternoon pick up times, when parents park either side of the road and on footpaths causing congestion and poor visibility of oncoming traffic.”

So, when you see the students in superhero masks walking through Ballyleague in their pursuit for improved facilities and active travel infrastructure for a safer and greener community why not walk alongside them or when passing honk your car!