I live in the Weir View on the Castlecomer Road. I travel to St. Canice's Co.-Ed. N.S. every day by car. I tried cycling for a few weeks, travelling along the route over Green's Bridge and up Bishop's Hill, but I found it too dangerous to cycle along certain parts of the route with my children. I also sometimes walk the route in the spring/summer months.

The following are my observations to the planned changes:

I welcome the crossing at the entrance to Riverside Drive. The Crossing #10 at Bishop's Hill is a very good idea, although I wonder if it is too close to the bend and will drivers and the many trucks which use this road, have enough time to stop if pedestrians are crossing here, particularly anyone unfamiliar with the road or those driving at night.

When cycling up Bishop's Hill just after Crossing #10 the road is narrow and the incline is steep. When I cycle up this hill, cars and trucks pile up behind me, itching to overtake me, as I am cycling too slowly up the hill. When they do overtake, they pass me often at a very close distance as the road is narrow and I feel unsafe on the bike. My children often wobble as trucks overtake them on this hill. I would therefore welcome the integration of a cycle path along the raised footpath along this very dangerous uphill section. Going home after school is no problem as there is a decent cycle path on the downhill section.

Unfortunately there are also no cycle paths along Troy's Gate (between Bishop's Hill and Vicar Street/New Road). I expect this area is simply too narrow. However since it is so narrow, it is dangerous to cycle on the road, particularly for primary school children as they share the space with heavy trucks.

The Crossing #9 is also welcome. The bollards outside the back entrance to the Loreto are very welcome. However the bollards which are there currently are spaced in such a way as to allow cars to drive between the bollards and onto the cycle path where the cars currently stop to let girls out. Cars stop here on the cycle path and at the entrance to Loreto Lodge, although there is a drop-off facility available to all school children on the Freshford Road, at the greyhound track. This is very dangerous for cyclists. Cars which stop on the cycle path then often proceed to complete 3-point turns on the road at the back entrance to the Loreto to then drive back down Bishop’s Hill, which is very dangerous for the large number of pedestrians, particularly the young St. Canice's children who use the footpath at this time and also for cyclists. Dropping secondary school girls off at this part of the road together with cars doing 3-point turns cause other cars and trucks to back up on Bishop's Hill which makes it difficult and dangerous for cyclists who share the road with them at this section on the hill.

The bollards on the Freshford Road will look great, in my opinion.

The bollards on the Granges Road will look very well. The Crossings #5, #6, #7 and #8 are a great idea.

Crossing #1 and #2 are a very good idea. I would suggest a further crossing at the entrance to Lord Edward Street as it is very difficult to cross here in the mornings.

I welcome all the improvements illustrated in the plan and I commend the County Council for this great initiative. However I would point out that cyclists also have to travel to get to these safe zones. So while is it fantastic that the areas around the school will be enhanced, our cyclists, in particular our young cyclists need safe cycling paths for their whole journey and so solutions need to be found for areas such as Bishop's Hill, Troy's Gate, Green's Bridge, Vicar Street, Dean Street, Dean Street Roundabout and Butt's Green or safe alternatives close to these routes could be found.

A final point I would like to make, which is relevant to this whole topic, is that all 3 schools in this area - Canice's Co.-Ed., the Loreto and the future CBS Secondary School on the Dunningstown Road - should all be serviced by both the KK1 and the KK2 - so that children from different areas of the city can access their school by bus. Currently the KK2 stops outside Canice's and the Loreto. However the current route of the KK1 drops children off close to St. Canice's Church on Dean's Street. I believe that the Dean Street KK1 stop will be too far away for the boys who will be attending the new CBS school. This could be improved by re-routing the KK1 at peak school starting/finishing times to take primary school children who are on the KK1 route closer to St. Canice's and to take boys closer the new CBS Secondary School in the future. This action could help alleviate traffic.

Section 38: Safe Routes to School Loreto Secondary School and St. Canice's Primary School - Submissions

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