The following letter regarding traffic safety on campus was sent home with all children today:

Dear parents/guardians,                                                                                               

I am writing to you with serious concerns regarding road safety on the school campus. In particular, current practices of moving about the campus, abandoned vehicles, high speed levels and dangerous parking (including in disability bays) are endangering the safety of our children. Current dangerous practices must stop now to ensure no serious accidents occur.

Parental co-operation in all matters relating to traffic is essential to ensure pupil safety and to ensure continued access to the campus. I remind you that the current policy in place for traffic management, which all parents must follow, is as follows:

Arrival time at school:

• All parents who are driving to school should avail of the drop-and-go system.
• When dropping each morning, we would continue to ask parents to do the following:
  • Please pull into a set down bay when dropping;
  • Please do not delay in the set down bay as other cars need to use it;
  • Please quickly assist your children to exit your vehicle and allow them to walk the short distance to the playground gate;
  • Do not park on the campus;
  • Do not park on footpaths or in disability bays;
  • Please obey the directions of all staff and volunteers.

Dismissal time at school:

• There is no parking at the campus at collection times;
• Parents should not park on the road leading up to the campus;
• Traffic congestion could prevent the school bus or emergency vehicles from accessing the campus;
• Please always be aware of children on bikes, whose behaviour can be unpredictable;
• Parents should endeavour to walk to the school each day to collect children or to find safe parking away from the campus.

The system at present is not operating successfully! We, as a school management, are concerned that there could be a very serious accident on our campus, which could result in the serious injury of a child, or worse.

In order to create a safer environment for our children, we will be holding a consultation meeting with members of the school’s Parents’ Association. Any parent who wishes to attend in order to contribute to and support a road safety strategy that could be implemented successfully on our campus is very welcome to attend. Looking forward to a safer, accident free campus.

Yours sincerely,

Board of Management