— Dublin City Council evaluating vehicle-free entrances and preventing illegal parking at school gates across city.
A segregated cycle route on Griffith Avenue in Dublin is to be one of Dublin City Council’s first major interventions to allow school children to safely cycle to school as part of the School Mobility Programme, a section of the COVID Mobility Plan.
Part of the latest update to councillors concerning schools, said: “The COVID Mobility Team is currently assessing the feasibility of interventions to create vehicle-free entrances and discourage or prevent illegal parking at school gates. The aim of any intervention implemented will be to increase safety for children. The Team will also be assessing the implementation of bespoke solutions for a number of schools over the coming weeks.”
“A project is underway to provide a 3.5km rapid deployment segregated cycling route initially from Ballygall Road to Malahide Road. This will require provision of additional crossings and a contra flow cycling facility from Griffith Avenue extension to Griffith Avenue,” said the council in the update.
The update continued: “The green areas in the map below shows the schools and colleges on or near this route and this link will act as a main spine with extensions either side over time to enable safe cycling to schools and colleges in the area along this route. Work on the first element of the route at Griffith Avenue extension will begin next week. Regular updates will be given as the design and installation progress.”
The council said: “We have added a page on our website with links to tips and resources on increasing active travel to school and creating a safer school gate environment, including how to set up a walking bus or a cycle bus. Please visit, Make the School Gate Safe, Tips and Resources.”
The council added: “We have written to all schools in the Dublin City Council administrative area directing them to our webpage and asking them to communicate with parents to encourage them, where possible, to choose active modes for the school run.”
Cllr Donna Cooney (Green) said: “Delighted @DubCityCouncil #SafeRoutesToSchool having requested this in July’19. A upgraded segregated cycleway on Griffith avenue. Serving schools and @DCU just in time for 40th. Work starting next week includes contraflow.”
UPDATE: Cllr Naoise O’Muirí (FG) said: “Having lobbied (God help us – old-fashioned politics…!) for investment in the cycle lanes on Griffith Avenue (a location ripe for it) glad to see it is finally happening and in the near term.”
He added: “It is vital that we use this opportunity to get the drop-off/pick-up zones at Scoil Mhuire, St Vincent De Paul Infant/Girls School and Árd Scoil Rís working effectively and safely; the hard reality is that this will involve pushing cars back from those zones but needs to happen.”
The Dublin Commuter Coalition said: “Dublin City Council will build a 3.5km segregated cycle route on Griffith Avenue been Ballygall Road and Malahide Road. There are so many schools in this area so this could be amazing! Work to start next week.”
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