Proposed Front-of-School Works at St Fiachra's National Schools, Montrose Park, Artane, D5

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 schools at Saint Fiachra’s Junior National and Senior National Schools Montrose Park, Beaumont, Dublin 5.

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 of School Zone at Star of The Sea School, Sandymount, D4   

 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 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 the volume of traffic at schools and vehicles with engines idling.

Where will these works take place?

These works will take place on Montrose Park and Montrose Close, Beaumont, Dublin 5, on approach to Saint Fiachra’s Junior National and Senior National Schools.

Image 2: Extent of Works Saint Fiachra’s Junior National and Senior National Schools

What works will take place at Saint Fiachra’s Junior National and Senior National Schools Montrose Park, Beaumont, Dublin 5?

The works will consist of:

• Yellow Pencil bollards on the footpath along Montrose Park and upper Montrose Close at the junction with Montrose Park. Blue and Green Pencil Bollards on the southern carriageway of Montrose Park road. All house vehicular entrances to remain unobstructed. Pencil bollards are depicted as pink, blue and green dots on the design drawing below.

Image 3: Example Pencil Bollard on Footpath, Cromcastle, Kilmore, D5

• Colourful road markings consisting of yellow and red circles painted directly on the road on Montrose Park on approach to the school at the Church of Nativity entrance.

Image 4: Example Circle Road Surface Markings, Thornville Rd, Kilbarrack, D5

• School Zone road surface signs will be painted at 1) the entry point to Montrose Park from Montrose Avenue and 2) on approach to Montrose Park from Montrose Close.

Image 5: Example Road Surface Sign for School Zone, Leinster Road, Rathmines, D6   

• The existing speed ramp on Montrose Park will be retained.A new proposed speed ramp to be installed on Montrose Park, adjacent to the junction with Montrose Avenue.

Image 6: Example Speed Ramp, Strand Road, Sandymount D4

• Path buildouts at the corners of the junction where Montrose Close intersects with Montrose Park. The buildouts will increase the angles of the corners at the junction. This will reduce the speed of cars coming into the area by forcing them to slow down taking the corner. The buildouts will also give more space for people waiting to cross.

Image 7: Example Path Buildout, South William Street, D2

• These crossing points will be fitted with the buff coloured blister tactile pavement inserts and will have bollards at the edges to prevent vehicles using them as parking areas. The buff coloured blister tactile paving prevents trips and slips. The paving is more user-friendly for people with mobility and visual impairment needs. They are depicted as brown hatching on the path in the design drawing below.

Image 8: Example Tactile Blister Pavements, Armagh Road, Crumlin ,D12

Image 9: Snippet of Design Drawings for St Fiachra's Junior National and Senior National Schools

For complete design drawings and supporting information go to the end of this page.

Drawings are available to view in hard copy poster form at the schools from April 24th 2023.

Why are we implementing this School Zone?

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

• The high volume of vehicular traffic at school times outside the school gate and coming into Montrose Park, Montrose Close and Montrose Avenue.  Parents percieve outside the school gate as "the most dangerous part of the school journey" with vehicular parking dropping off in the middle of the road, and reversing and u-turns. 
• Vehicular parking either fully or partially on the footpath on both sides of Montrose Park and Montrose Close.
• Vehicular parking on either side of the junction where Montrose Close joins Montrose Park.  
• Speeding and high volume of traffic on Beaumont Road, Ardmore Drive, Skelly's Lane. 
• Pedestrian congestion when a high volume of people at school times are travelling down the narrow paths in the Montrose estate.

 Image 9: School Collect Time at St Fiachra Schools Entrance June 2022   

The results of the Green Schools Parent Travel Survey for St Fiachra's indicate that parents are concenred about danerous parking at the school gate.

Image 10: Results of Parents Issues From Green School Travel Survey 2021

The results of the Green Schools Parent Travel Survey for St Fiachra's indicate that most students are travelling within a 1km radius of the school.

Image 11: Results from Green School Travel Survey indicating where students are coming from (2021) 

Share your thoughts from April 24th 2023 to May 12th 2023

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

• Email: sustainablemobility@dublincity.ie (with Saint Fiachra’s National National Schools in the subject bar).
• Phone: Customer Services Desk 222 2222 they will refer you to an available member of the School Mobility team. 
• Postal Address: School Mobility Programme, City 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 April 24th 2023.

What happens next?

We will then 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.

Access for children with special needs transport will continue to be facilitated under the current system that the school have in place.

Further Information 

• Dublin City Council School Zones
• National Transport Authority Safe Routes To School (SRTS)
• National Transport Authority Design Guide for Safe Routes To School  September 2022
• An Taisce Green School Safe Routes To School October 2022