A proposal to establish a 'School Street' has been approved by Fingal County Councillors.

This scheme will see the street outside St Oliver Plunkett's National School in Malahide pedestrianised during school arrival and departure times.

The pilot project, which has already been established well in Britain and Italy, will look to unlock further School Streets across Ireland.

Welcoming the initiative, Green Party Councillor David Healy, Chair of the Howth Malahide Area Committee said: "The pedestrianisation of the section of road outside the school at arriving and leaving times is an important step to deal with the danger to children resulting from the current chaos outside the school with vehicles moving dangerously in the vicinity of children. The decision follows a public consultation and the pedestrianisation is happening as proposed. The original proposal for a full time one way system on two adjacent streets has been changed to a simpler ban on turns from The Mall onto The Rise during school arriving and leaving times. 

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"The most striking figure in the consultation report shows the extent to which they want to cycle; creating safe roads for cyclists of all ages and abilities will take more than just fixing the school access, but the Council is committed to further changes and the North Dublin Cycle Bus is working on a route to St Oliver Plunkett's and other primary schools in Malahide and Portmarnock.

"In addition to the direct safety benefit, the Council will gather data from this implementation including air quality data, and changes in how children travel to school."

The pedestrianisation at school arrival and departure times will start on 18 November.

(CM/JG)