Kids encouraged to be independent with safe routes to school programme in Waterford
Launch of the Active Travel Safe Routes to School project at Scoil Mhuire National School, Butlerstown.
Various members of the community gathered at the Rainbow Community Hall in Kilmacthomas last Friday for the official launch of the Active Travel Safe Routes to School projects at Scoil Mhuire National School, Butlerstown and Kilmacthomas Primary School.
Maria O’Connor, principal of Butlerstown Primary School, spoke to the Waterford News & Star about the positive effect of the park and stride scheme at the school. She said, “We have several staff members who cycle to school and in the fine weather, we have a few children who cycle to school. Far more children are doing the park and stride.”
The new scheme, which opened last year, means that parents can park in a nearby church car park and children can walk the rest of the way to the school using a “beautiful, safe footpath which we never had before”.
“There’s a real sense of wellbeing in the mornings. The children come to school energised because they’ve had their fresh air and they’ve had a little bit of exercise.”
Although it's just a few minutes' walk away, Ms O’Connor told the News & Star that the scheme helps with the pupils’ sense of independence.
“Very often you’d see older children bringing their younger brothers and sisters along the footpath,” she said.
Head of Active Travel for Waterford City and County Council, Michael Murphy, told the , “We expect all the children at both Kilmacthomas and Butlerstown to utilise the work we’ve put in.
“We’re trying to keep cars away from the front of schools by providing alternative facilities and encouraging people to walk.
“The weather in Ireland gets a bad rapport but we’ve all grown up in Irish weather. I’ve said it to a few people who don’t like hearing it, but coats and umbrellas are not gone out of fashion.
“Our plan is to make all cycle lanes separate from traffic and separate from pedestrians.”
Fine Gael TD John Cummins also attended the event. He told the Waterford News & Star: “It's been fantastic to be here. Both schools have had an investment of about €300,000 from the government through the NTA in co-operation with Waterford City and County Council and An Taisce. It’s a really excellent scheme that encourages pupils to use the safe paths that have been put in place.”
Tim Ryan, the principal of Kilmacthomas, spoke at the event. He said, “On behalf of Kilmacthomas school and staff, I want to say thank you to the Safer Routes to School initiative. The difference this project has made is immense. The school itself was built in 1973. The N25 was repositioned in the 1990s and at that time it was thought that the traffic problems had vanished from Kilmac. As you know, time stands still for no person and there has been additional traffic so we had to look at it once again.”
“I’d recommend all parents to look into the safer routes to school and at active travel, I only have positive things to say about it all.”
