North Mayo primary school children call for reduced speed limit

Pupils, parents and staff at Culleens National School are set to take to the roadside on February 12th to call for a significant reduction in the speed limit on the R314, which runs near the school just over three kilometres outside Ballina town.

The demonstration, planned for Oaklawn Junction, comes as part of the school's ongoing work toward its Green-Schools Global Citizenship Travel flag — a two-year programme designed to encourage students, staff and the wider community to explore more active and sustainable ways of getting to and from school.

Central to the programme is an assessment of the infrastructure needed to make active travel — walking and cycling — a safe and realistic option for the school's 275 pupils. Following that assessment, the Green-Schools committee identified the speed of traffic on the nearby R314 as a major barrier. With an 80 km/h speed limit and no active travel paths connecting the school to the surrounding area, the route was deemed unsafe for children.

The school is championing the "Love 30" campaign, a worldwide initiative advocating for 30 km/h speed limits in the vicinity of schools. The case for slowing down is stark: according to Road Safety Authority figures, if a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle travelling at 30 km/h, one in ten will die. At 50 km/h, that figure rises to five in ten. At 60 km/h, nine out of ten fatalities are expected.

Beyond the life-saving statistics, proponents of 30 km/h zones point to a range of wider benefits, including reduced air and noise pollution, a lower risk of injury for cyclists and pedestrians, and an environment that encourages more people — particularly the young and the elderly — to move about independently on foot or by bike.

Principal Sinéad Caffrey said the school remains determined to push for change after a previous campaign last year failed to deliver results.

"Here at Culleens NS we are embracing the Love 30 campaign," she said. "On February 12th, please slow down for us — honk your horn to show support, or join us as we stand out with our signs to make active travel safe for the children in our school."

Ms Caffrey highlighted that the school's previous roadside protest had called for three key improvements: a reduction in the speed limit, a safe footpath for children to walk on, and a pedestrian crossing — none of which have yet been delivered.

"We are here again highlighting the fact that our children do not have a safe route to school," she said.

The school has also launched a petition to support the campaign and is urging members of the public to sign it ahead of the demonstration.