Kildare cllr wants survey on active travel schemes in schools
The Safe Routes to School programme was launched in March 2021
THE MATTER of investment in active travel to schools in Kildare has come under the microscope in recent times.
At the meeting of Kildare Newbridge Municipal District on 17 December, cllr Suzanne Doyle brought forward a motion suggesting that Kildare County Council should collect information on the impact of such investment on the ways in which students are getting to school.
She asked ‘that the council conducts a survey of schools, where active travel improvement schemes have taken place to determine what impacts this investment has made on modal shift for journeys to schools’. The motion added ‘in the case of pending projects, that a baseline survey be conducted in advance for a more comprehensive comparative analysis’.
A report issued by Donal Hodgins, senior engineer in sustainable transport and traffic management at the county council outlined the limitations of local authorities in monitoring schemes such as the Safe Routes to School programme (SRTS). The report stated that ‘local authorities are responsible for the implementation of measures recommended as part the SRTS programme’ but do not a have role in the monitoring of schemes after they have been implemented.
A representative from the county council said that the council’s role is to “build whatever has been agreed by An Taisce”.
The Safe Routes to School programme was launched in March 2021, with all schools in Ireland invited to take part. It is an initiative of the Department of Transport and is supported by the Department of Education, designed to encourage as many pupils and students as possible to walk or cycle to school by making the areas around schools safer and more accessible.
The programme is operated by Aan Taisce in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA). Funding for the programme comes from the Department of Transport through the NTA. An Taisce is responsible for delivering the programme. Infrastructure officers for the programme works with schools and local authorities.
It emerged recently that four Kildare schools – Scoil Íde Naofa (Kilmeade), Ardscoil Rath Iomghain (Rathangan), Maynooth Educate Together NS, Scoil Eoin Phoil (Leixlip) – have been included in the next round of schools to benefit from the programme.
At the meeting, cllr Doyle said that “it’s a bit luddite” to suggest that the council does not conduct the baseline survey, going on to say that “I think it’s important when we’re spending public money to evaluate how practical it is”.
Cllr Doyle asked a representative from the council at the meeting if the relevant bodies could conduct a survey after the implementation of the programme. The representative responded by saying that they “imagine so”.
Cllr Doyle requested that further clarity be sought on that and asked for it to be left on the agenda for the next meeting.
Cathaoirleach for Kildare Newbridge MD Noel Heavey chimed in to remark that councillors should have an input on the design and delivery of safe routes to school.
With cllr Doyle becoming irate, it was agreed that a letter would be written to An Taisce on the matter. Cllr Doyle stated that she wanted to see the letter before it was sent.
