No Safe Route to School scheme funding yet for Cornafulla NS

Roscommon County Council has confirmed that Cornafulla NS was not selected in either Round 1 or 2 of the Safe Route to School programme, but “may be chosen” as part of further funding streams.

The confirmation came at the January meeting of the Athlone Municipal District members on the local authority in response to a question from Cllr John Naughten.

Cllr Naughten asked for an update on the Safe Route to School programme which Cornafulla NS has already applied for, and pointed out that, to date, the school has received “no funding” to carry out works which are ugently required to “improve safely for pupils and parents surrounding the school”.

The Safe Route to School programme was developed in partnership with the National Transport Authority and Green-Schools/An Taisce in 2020 and comes under the Active Travel measures. It is designed to support schools to increase walking and cycling for all pupils.

Up to the end of 2022, almost 300 primary schools nationwide received funding under the Safe Routes to School programme. The main aims of the programme are as follows:

Improve safety at the school gate by providing ‘front of school’ treatments to alleviate congestion and improve access; improve access routes to school by improving walking and cycling infrastructure; and increase the number of students who cycle to school by expanding the amount of cycle parking. Schools that have applied and have not been included in the first two rounds of funding- including Cornafulla NS - will not be required to reapply, as they will come into the programme on a rolling basis.