Traffic dangers at Julianstown school ‘crisis point’

Parents of children attending Whitecross National School say they fear a child will be killed unless urgent traffic calming measures are introduced on the main road outside the school.

Mothers Madeline Woods, Emer Brennan and Dee Gilsenan have spoken out about what they describe as daily dangerous driving, speeding, red-light breaking and a lack of basic safety infrastructure on the old Dublin–Belfast road through Julianstown.

They say repeated appeals to the council and other authorities have failed to deliver meaningful action.

Madeline Woods, who lives close to the school, said the situation has reached a “crisis point”.

“The school is on the main road. Every single day there are cars speeding through. We have traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing, but cars often accelerate through them,” she said.

“There are trucks and buses coming through the village and some drive very aggressively.

Every few weeks there seems to be another crash at the junction near the church. We are genuinely afraid that it will take a fatality before something is done.”

She said parents are simply asking for basic measures such as a speed indicator sign, a school warden or increased speed camera enforcement.

“We’re not even asking for ramps at this stage. Just something that will physically make drivers slow down,” she said.

Madeline recalled a recent incident when she was crossing at the lights with a buggy and a seven-year-old child.

“My son pressed the button and a car sped up through the red light.

There was a buggy and a child there. It’s terrifying.”

Parents say children are not allowed cross independently because of the danger, despite many living within walking distance of the school.

Emer Brennan, a nurse and mother of four, has three children aged eight, 10 and 12 attending the school. She lives a short walk away but says she cannot allow them to travel independently.

“I would love to give my children some independence, but I don’t think I can ever allow them to walk to and from school on their own because of the issues with the road,” she said.

Julianstown, she explained, has become a key access route for motorists travelling to and from Laytown, Bettystown and Mornington, as well as drivers avoiding the toll road.

“I don’t even have a problem with the volume of traffic. I understand why people use the road.

The issue is the lack of adherence to the speed limit,” she said.

“It’s a 50km zone outside the school, but once cars pass the lights and head down the hill they gain horrendous speed. You don’t need a speed camera to see they’re doing far more than 50.”

She said she has contacted both Meath County Council and An Garda Síochána to raise her concerns.

“I have three children.

They are my most precious things and nothing is being done. I’m not prepared to stand by and be compliant while there is no action.”

Dee Gilsenan, who lives about a kilometre from the school on the main road towards Dublin, said she has been campaigning for traffic calming measures for 15 years.

“The road is so busy and so dangerous that I can’t let any of my children walk to school. At my house the speed limit goes up to 80km/h and then drops to 60 and 50 near the school. But when there’s a free run, people are doing well over 100km/h. You can feel the force of the traffic if you’re walking on the verge.”

She said there have been multiple near-misses at the pedestrian crossing, with vehicles allegedly driving through red lights as children attempt to cross.

“There have been a lot of accidents on the road. Thankfully no fatalities, but it feels like we’re just waiting for one,” she said.

Parents also point to wider issues including a lack of continuous footpaths on certain stretches, limited cycling infrastructure and the environmental impact of families being forced to drive short distances.

“There’s a bike rack at the school but there are hardly ever bikes in it,” Dee said. “People would walk or cycle if it was safe. Instead, we’re all getting into cars because we have no choice.”

The group says previous engagement with Meath County Council resulted in site visits, but they were later informed that the road layout was deemed safe.

They have been told that planned Irish Water upgrade works in the area have delayed any further traffic calming measures, a response parents say has been ongoing for years.

“That’s the excuse that keeps being used,” one parent said. “But in the meantime our children are crossing that road every day.”

A spokesperson for Meath County Council said:

"There is an approved Traffic Calming Scheme for Julianstown awaiting funding and the progression of an Uisce Éireann Scheme, with Meath County Council currently awaiting details of the proposed works and traffic management plans in relation to the latter scheme.

"There is currently a public consultation ongoing for the Julianstown Traffic Relief Scheme (formerly known as the Julianstown Bypass Scheme) in relation to a constraints study which will inform the Option Selection Process.

"An assessment of proposed traffic calming measures and active /public travel upgrades within the village of Julianstown as part of a combined overall solution will be assessed as part of the Option Selection Process.

"At the moment, there is a significant amount of built infrastructure at the school. There is a signalled pedestrian crossing and the school provide a drop/go area for parents to drive in and drop their children off safely, with many children also opting to walk or cycle to the school at present.

"Plans are in place currently for Meath County Council to refresh the road markings on the approach to the School."