Renewed concerns about road safety outside Tyrone school

CONCERNS have been raised again about road safety outside a Clogher primary school.

Sinn Fein councillor Eugene McConnell has called on Mid Ulster District Council to ensure that a multi-agency approach is taken when devising plans to enhance road safety outside St. Macartan’s Primary School.

The school has had ongoing safety issues with traffic accessing and egressing from the school, and onto the A4, on what is a dangerous stretch of hilly road.

Speaking at a council meeting Cllr McConnell stated: “The Department of Education, Department of Finance and Department for Infrastructure have all agreed wholeheartedly, without any contradiction, that the entry and exit to the school is one of the most dangerous in Northern Ireland, but there is no joined-up approach for them to come together to find a resolution for that.

“A joined-up approach, along with all of the other key stakeholders, would be immense [in terms of our] ability to move this issue forward.”

Council Chair, Councillor Frances Burton, explained that she too had been made aware of the issue: “As chair, I also got a letter from the school, and obviously it is a very concerning issue.

“We all need to ensure that children get to school and get home from school safely. It is a very important issue.

“I think we should also possibly add the police to the meeting, because I know in other towns that have a similar problem they have come along and given advice and support.

“I think it would do no harm to have the local inspector there.”

DUP Councillor Mark Robinson, who had raised that very issue at a recent Environment committee meeting, seconded the Council Chair’s proposal.

SDLP Councillor Christine McFlynn said she looked forward to such a meeting: “As the new chair of the Environment committee, it was my understanding that the letter would go around all the councillors in Clogher Valley, so they were all made aware of it, and that the council would facilitate a meeting of all the agencies that need to come to that meeting. So I’m hoping that happens very soon.”