Lord Mayor Hazel Chu has today launched Dublin’s first ‘School Zone’ at Francis Street CBS, designed to encourage the slowing down of vehicles and to discourage drop offs.
In July, the HSE published recommendations for the reopening of schools, which included encouraging parents to park further away from the school and then walk with their children to avoid congestion.
Dublin City Council, in collaboration with the NTA and Green-Schools, have implemented the zone at Francis Street CBS, John Dillon Street, Dublin 8.
It includes gateway line-marking stating ‘School Zone’ at either end of the area, with the front of school area demarcated by specific colour circles on road surface. There are also a number of pencil shaped bollards designed to prevent illegal parking in vicinity of school.
Speaking about the School Zone initiative, the Lord Mayor said: “I am delighted Dublin City Council are implementing measures such as school zones. High volumes of vehicles at school gates mean small children have no safe access to school, often having to maneuver around parked and turning vehicles to get into the school grounds.”
Speaking about the initiative, Jane Hackett, National Manager of An Taisce Green-Schools Travel, said “The front of school should be a place where children can safely access school and where pedestrians and cyclists are given priority. A ‘school zone’ is one way in which to reallocate space at the school gate and to give priority back to students, limit cars and to free up footpaths for all in the community.”
Brendan O’Brien, Head of Transportation Technical Services in Dublin City Council said: “We need to make the school gate a safe zone and encourage parents and children to walk or cycle and keep the areas around schools clear for pupils.
“We understand that some parents will need to use their cars to drop their children to school but we would ask them to make the drop off point away from the school and walk from there instead of blocking the school gates.”
