Safety infrastructure works have officially been completed at schools in County Limerick.

Pupils in Caherconlish National School and Crescent College Comprehensive, Dooradoyle, will now be in a position to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to and from their classrooms in a much safer manner following the completion of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) infrastructure outside their school gates.

The Active Travel team in Limerick City & County Council delivered the infrastructure to provide the Scheme, following successful funding applications from the schools directly to the National Transport Authority (NTA).

The works at Caherconlish National School include a raised pedestrian crossing on High Street, build outs for traffic calming purposes, junction tightening at Hillview Drive and footpath widening.

Meanwhile, works at Crescent College Comprehensive, Dooradoyle, include a pedestrian priority crossing at the entrance to Crescent College Comprehensive, junction tightening and installation of new tactile paving.

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The works have been officially launched by Mayor of Limerick John Moran and a commemorative tree has also been planted adjacent to Caherconlish National School in conjunction with the opening of the project.

The schemes intend to prioritise the safety, accessibility and visibility of students walking and cycling to and from all three schools, along with providing traffic-calming and vehicle restrictions to address congestion and driver behaviour.

Discussing the project, Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, said: "We are continuing to make great progress across Limerick in making sure vulnerable road users like school children have safe, sustainable transport choices, with these latest schemes in Caherconlish and Dooradoyle illustrating that to great effect.

"Everyone gains with projects like these – those who can walk, wheel or cycle derive the well documented physical and mental benefits of that, while those who need to drive benefit from more limited congestion at the school gates."

Director of Service for Transportation and Mobility at Limerick City and County Council, Brian Kennedy, added: "Our rollout of the Safe Routes to School programme here in Limerick is a real success story that we’re very proud to be continuing to deliver.

"The schools ask for safer infrastructure through the NTA and, following extensive consultation and engagement, we are providing it. The geographical spread of these schools throughout the city and county is also a positive, as sustainable transport infrastructure is being provided for pupils, parents and staff in both urban and rural areas."

Caherconlish National School and Crescent College Comprehensive Dooradoyle are the ninth and tenth schools to have benefitted from the Safe Routes to School programme in Limerick since it was developed in 2020.

Photo: Don Moloney