CONCERNS have been raised over road safety outside Fanore National School, with calls for improved pedestrian infrastructure between the school and Fanore Beach.
Speaking at the West Clare Municipal District meeting, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) called for safety measures to be introduced at the school, including a footpath beside the school wall, correction of incorrect speed limit information displayed on some satellite navigation systems and a safe crossing point between the school and the beach.
In response, West Clare Municipal District Senior Executive Engineer Tony Neville said the council acknowledged the safety concerns and confirmed a short section of footpath adjacent to the school wall would be completed while an Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) project is being carried out nearby.
The written response said 50km/h speed limit signage is in place on both approaches to the school, but that Clare County Council has no control over mapping databases used by individual navigation providers.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Killeen said the school’s location opposite Fanore Beach created particular safety concerns, with children crossing and moving between the school and the beach area.
He said the sat nav issue also needed to be addressed, as incorrect information showing an 80km/h speed limit in the area could create a dangerous situation.
“80 kilometres in a 50 zone is very dangerous,” he said.
Cllr Killeen also asked whether plans for a safe crossing point between the school and Fanore Beach could be progressed sooner, after the council confirmed it could form part of a future ORIS funding application.
The motion was seconded by Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG), who said improvements in the area would complement wider works carried out between Fanore and the beach.
He said the beach facilities had been upgraded in recent years, while a new playground at the school, which is also open to the public, had increased activity in the area.
Cllr Garrihy said a pedestrian crossing had previously been considered through a CLÁR application and suggested the proposal could be revisited.
He said signage alone may not be enough to address safety concerns and that physical traffic-calming measures should also be considered.
“A number of speed signs were put up and it doesn’t seem to work. We need something physical,” he said.
–Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
