Ballina students to stage protest
The Green Schools Committee at Culleens National School.
The pupils, parents and staff of Culleens National School, near Ballina, plan to hold a demonstration later this month to highlight the need for lower speeds on the road close to their school.
Culleens NS is currently working on its Green-Schools Global Citizenship Travel Flag, and as part of this programme, the school’s Green-Schools committee has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the infrastructure and general ability to actively travel to and from school safely.
The committee’s research has outlined the speed of traffic on the nearby R314 as an obstacle for the 275 students and 30 staff members at Culleens National School to cycle or walk safely to and from school. With a speed limit of 80km/and a lack of active travel connecting paths to the school, it was deemed unsafe for students to consider active travel to or from school.
Statistics from the Road Safety Authority (RSA), which were examined by students, reveal that if a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle travelling at 30km/hr, one in 10 will die, at 50km/hr, one in 10 will die and at 60km/hr, nine in 10 will die.
These startling figures showed students that lowering the speed limit to 30km/hr would dramatically reduce the risk of death and serious injury if a pedestrian is struck near their school. The benefits of 30km/hr speed limits include a reduced risk of pedestrians and cyclists being killed or injured and reduced air and noise pollution.
The school community plan to hold at mini demonstration at Oaklawn junction on Thursday, February 12, to highlight the need for lower speeds.
“Here at Culleens National School, we are embracing the Love 30 campaign, which is a worldwide campaign to keep the speed limit outside of schools to 30km/hr,” said principal Sinead Caffrey. “On February 12, please slow down for us, honk your horn to show support or join us as we stand out with our signs to make active travel safe for the children in our school. If you have not yet signed our petition please do so.
“Last year we held a roadside protest seeking a reduction in the speed limit, a safe footpath and a pedestrian crossing for the children. We are here again highlighting the fact our children do not have a safe route to school,” she added.
