Five Kildare Schools Included In The Safe Routes To School Programme

Monday, 12 December 2022 16:49

By Caoimhe Harney

The programme aims to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities and alleviate congestion at the school gates

Five Kildare Schools have been included as part the safe routes to school programme.

Round 2 of the successful programme was confirmed by Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD and the national Transport Authority on Monday.

Kildare Schools in Round 2

Patrician Primary School, Chapel Lane, Newbridge

St Conleths infant School, Naas Rd, Newbridge

Scoil Bhride, Prosperous Road, Clane

Scoil Phádraig, Clane

Scoil Mochua, Aghards Road, Celbridge

In June 2021 five Kildare schools were included in round 1 of the programme. These school communities have been working with Kildare County council on the rollout of the scheme in Monasterevin, Kildare town, Straffan, Naas and Maynooth.

Now, having secured the additional funding as part of Budget 2023, it is great to see the programme continue to go from strength to strength.

Kildare South Fine Gael TD and Minister Martin Heydon commented: "The Safe Routes to School Programme aims to create safer walking and cycling routes within communities, alleviate congestion at the school gates and increase the number of students who walk or cycle to school by providing improvements to walking and cycling facilities.

"Under this programme five additional Kildare schools in Newbridge, Clane, and Celbridge will soon benefit from safer infrastructure which will allow them to walk, cycle and scoot to school every day.

"The launch of the second round of the programme today will see over 37,000 students across Ireland benefit from safer infrastructure and encourage them to cycle, walk and wheel to school.

“Our ambition is that every child in Ireland will have the option to make their daily commute to the classroom by foot, bicycle or scooter in a way that they are safe and protected; one that I am confident is shared amongst children, their parents, teachers and the wider school community in Kildare," concluded Minister Heydon.

Martin Heydon spoke with Caoimhe Harney on Monday's Kildare Focus: