Proposed Front-of-School works at Scoil Chaitríona, Baggot Street

Overview

Dublin City Council with the support of the National Transport Authority proposes to implement front-of-school works to improve the safety of students and vulnerable road users accessing and exiting Scoil Chaitríona, Baggot St. 

 What are School Zones?

School Zones are built infrastructural upgrades that are designed to give priority to students at the school gate by freeing up footpaths and reducing vehicle drop-offs, pick-ups and idling. The aim is to increase safety at the front of school and prioritise active travel (walking, cycling, wheeling and scooting) to and from school. 

Image 1: Example School Zone at Star of the Sea School, Sandymount, Dublin 4

 School Zones are implemented around the world in order to: 

• Increase student safety
• Reduce vehicle drop-offs, pick-ups and idling outside the school gate
• Reduce congestion and prioritise active travel (walking, cycling, wheeling and scooting) to and from school
• Encourage slow, safe driving in the area of the school
• Promote considerate parking
• Reduce emissions and pollution, and improve air quality and noise quality by reducing volume of traffic at schools and vehicles with engines idling

 Where will these works take place?

These works will take place on James's Place East.

What works will take place at James's Place East, Dublin 2?

Image 2: Extent of works on James's Place East

The works will consist of:

Rigid Yellow Pencil Bollards will be installed on James's Place East. They are depicted as small pink dots on the drawing. They are 2 meters apart and 1, 5 m from the edge of the path. They are positioned to stop cars parking on either side of the vehicular entrance to the school. Their position will also give the children more room at the school gate. They will help to calm the speed of traffic. The road will still be wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass each other.

Image 3: Example pencil bollards on footpath, Cromcastle, Kilmore, Dublin 5

School Zone road surface signs will be painted directly on the road on James's Place East. The entrances to the school zone is marked with these painted yellow boxes at the beginning and end of James's Place East and reads SCHOOL ZONE: CEANTAR SCOILE. This alerts road users that they are coming up to a school.

Image 4: Example road surface siugn for School Zone, Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6

A School Ahead signs with flashing amber signals will be installed, facing south at the beginning or western end of James's Place East to alert drivers that they are entering a school zone and to drive accordingly.

Image 5: Example 'School Ahead' sign with flashing amber signal

The pay and display parking will be removed on both sides of the school vehicular gate to allow for the installation of the pencil bollards on the road. This will give both drivers and the children visibility of each other, the road and the school entrance. The school entrance will remain unobstructed by bollards.

Image 6: Existing Vehicular Entrance to Scoil Chaitriona on James Place East and how parking and traffic makes it hard to see small children at the school gate

Colourful road markings consisting of yellow and red circles will be painted directly on the road beginning at the western side of James's Place East inside the first of the School Zone road surface signs, continuing all the way up until the 2nd School Zone road surface sign on the East end of James's Place East. These raise awareness of the presence of the school as traffic moves onto and down James's Place East.

Image 7: Example 'Colourful Circle Road Markings' Scoil Fhursa Cromcastle

Why are we implementing this School Zone?

Traffic-related safety concerns have been reported and observed by the school, parents, neighbours, Dublin City Council’s School Warden Service, Parking Enforcement and School Mobility Officer, including:

• The high volume of vehicular traffic and related congestion at school drop-off and collection times
• A lack of visibility of the children and vulnerable pedestrians due to people parking in the area close to the school entrance, making it especially dangerous at collection and pick-up times
• A lack of space for students and parents congregating at collection and pick-up times
• To improve overall safety for the large number of students cycling, walking and scooting to school

Share your thoughts from 24 June to 08 July 2024

If you would like to share comments or thoughts on these works please contact us via:

• Online Survey: available at https://consultation.dublincity.ie/ - search for Scoil Chaitíona in the search bar
• Email: sustainablemobility@dublincity.ie (with Scoil Chaitríona in the subject bar)
• Phone: Customer Services Desk 01 222 2222 they will refer you to an available member of the Sustainable Mobility team
• Postal Address: School Mobility Programme, City Centre Transports Projects, Block 2, Floor 7, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, Ireland, D08 RF3F

This period of non-statutory consultation closes at midnight on 08 July 2024.

What happens next?

We will review all the comments and observations and, where appropriate, make required changes to the design. Works will then be scheduled for installation.

For the School Zone front-of-school treatment to work effectively, parents who need to drive must be willing to change their drop off and pick up habits. Parents and guardians will be encouraged not to collect and drop off within the School Zone. They must park respectfully and legally outside of the School Zone by not blocking other entrances, mounting footpaths or double parking.

Full drawings and School Zone guidance documents are available online at https://consultation.dublincity.ie/ (search Scoil Chaitríona).

A hard copy poster of the design will be on view at the school gate.

Image 8: Snip of drawing of proposed works on Scoil Chaitríona, Baggot St.