‘Chaotic’ scenes on Cootes Lane, Kilkenny for school drop-off

Parents driving up Cootes Lane to drop off their kids need to stop before a child is knocked down as the area engineer described the “chaotic disregard” for the rules of the road.
The matter was raised at a recent meeting of Kilkenny City Municipal District and area engineer, Simon Walton, said there were two issues on roads adjacent to St Patrick’s De la Salle National School and St John of God National School.
He told members the repair works would be carried out in April when the school on Cootes Lane – St Patrick’s National School - is vacant.
Mr Walton said the second issue is the “chaotic disregard” for the rules of the road like parking on double yellow lines.
“There are 760 pupils when you combine those two schools.
“I’ve met with both principals and told them that Kilkenny County Council will do our part and both were willing to play their part,” Mr Walton said.
A baseline survey of the 760 pupils will be carried out to assess where students come from and how they travel to school.
All parties will look at solutions from walking trains to cycling.
Following the survey, measures will then be introduced to try and support a “change in culture”.
Cllr Joe Malone first raised the issue of Cootes Lane and told the meeting that residents were being “hemmed in every morning” and the main cause is parents driving up and dropping kids off.
Cllr Patrick McKee said the narrow lane is not suitable for public access for parents to drop their kids off and described it as “ludicrous”.
He added that the parents “need to stop before a child is knocked down”.
Meanwhile Cllr Malcolm Noonan said the school had outgrown the area and traffic levels surrounding the school had “never been envisaged”.
Cllr David Fitzgerald said: “The two schools should begin a discussion about an amalgamation.
“It would remove the need for school traffic to go up Cootes Lane.
“I’m calling on the boards of the school to consider the possibility of an amalgamation.”