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Children's lives “at risk” on
Buncrana road
16.09.09
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by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
CHILDREN'S lives are being put at risk as parents
drop off and collect pupils on a busy Buncrana road,
a council official has said. Buncrana Town Clerk
Seamus Canning last week wrote to parents of
children attending both Scoil Íosagáin and Scoil
Mhuire to inform them of a new campaign where
drivers will be warned of the dangers of dropping
children off and collecting them on St Oran’s Road.
Scoil Mhuire principal Liam Rainey described the
situation as an accident waiting to happen, while
Scoil Íosagáin principal Sinead Mac Lochlainn
appealed to parents to co-operate with gardaí and
traffic wardens.
Gardaí and the council’s traffic wardens were on St
Oran’s Road yesterday morning moving cars along and
asking parents to use alternative locations for
dropping off and collecting children.
“There are double yellow lines on both sides of the
road, and we will caution people who stop there,” a
Garda spokesman said. “We’re trying to deter people
from stopping on St Oran’s Road and we can issue
fixed charge notices in relation to parking
offences. We can take prosecutions, but we hope that
with co-operation of the public it won’t go that
far. We don’t want to use a sledgehammer to crack a
nut.” |
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Mr Canning said that
the Town Council had introduced a pedestrian
crossing adjacent to the Leisure Centre on Aileach
Road for students attending Scoil Mhuire. School
buses already leave and collect students there, and
Mr Canning said that this should be the only
location used to drop off and collect |
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children coming to
school in private vehicles.
“Scoil Mhuire’s Parents’ Council is co-operating
closely with the Garda and Town Council to ensure
the safety of students,” school principal Liam
Rainey said. “School policy is for the Shore Front
to be used as a drop off and collection point and
the Parents’ Council is appreciative of the
pedestrian crossing and other measures the Town
Council has put in place there.”
“The danger with using St Oran’s Road is
particularly pronounced with vehicles leaving
Buncrana as there is a blind spot on the corner
before the school entrance – it’s an accident
waiting to happen,” Mr Rainey said.
Children attending Scoil Íosagáin should be dropped
off and collected on St Mary’s Road, Church Street
or St Patrick’s Road.
“We’re looking for common sense to prevail,” Sinead
Mac Lochlainn, principal of Scoil Íosagáin said.
“People have to be patient and reasonable and put
the safety of children first. Unfortunately, that
may at times inconvenience parents leaving children
off, but the safety of the children is paramount and
we’d ask that parents co-operate with gardaí and
council officials.” |
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