Ardee News & Sport – Ballapousta Parents Call for Urgent Safety Measures Near National School
By ArdeePost Reporter
Ballapousta , Ardee, Co. Louth — A group of concerned parents and residents in the Ballapousta area of Ardee are calling for immediate action to address road safety risks outside Ballapousta National School, amid fears that a serious accident is only a matter of time.
The campaign, which has been gathering momentum in recent weeks, is receiving support from Louth Senator Alison Comyn, who is working alongside Louth County Council engineers and senior officials to secure funding for the installation of traffic calming measures and a new section of footpath on the busy stretch of road.
“This is an extremely busy section of road,” said Senator Comyn, “with parents and children regularly using it to access the new school building. Add in the riding school, the boxing club, and several businesses in the area, and the volume of traffic at peak times becomes a serious concern.”
Ballapousta A Community United for Safer Roads
Local landowner Johnny Gartland has stepped forward with an extraordinary gesture—offering a strip of land along the road free of charge to facilitate the construction of the much-needed footpath. This means the only cost to the council would be for construction, significantly lowering the barrier to progress.
Among the parents leading the call is Evelyn Judge, who walks her children to school daily while pushing twins in a buggy. She paints a vivid picture of the current danger:
“The existing footpath on the opposite side of the road just ends abruptly. There’s no pedestrian crossing, and walking this route every morning is genuinely stressful. If something isn’t done before September, someone is going to get hurt.”
Evelyn says she has spoken directly with the council and was told there is no money left in this year’s budget—a response that has only added to the sense of urgency among residents.
Ballapousta Support Grows from All Quarters
Ballapousta NS Principal Peter Dooley is backing the campaign, as are a number of local residents including John Butler, Dan Rock, Michael Forde, and Fintan Malone, all of whom agree that the stretch of road is dangerous for pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren.
Senator Comyn has proposed that the project be considered under an Active Travel initiative, as the space provided by the land donation could also accommodate a dedicated cycle lane in addition to a footpath—potentially qualifying for multiple funding streams.
“I’ve asked the Council to treat this with the utmost urgency,” Comyn added. “We have a unique opportunity here—land is being offered for free, the community is behind it, and the potential funding fits multiple government objectives, including school safety and active travel.”
A Race Against Time
With the September school term fast approaching, residents are hoping the project can be prioritised and green-lit before the start of the new academic year. They argue that the footpath and traffic calming measures are not a luxury, but a necessity to protect children and pedestrians who use the road daily.
Calls for immediate council engagement and allocation of emergency or reallocated funds are now growing louder, as the Ballapousta community waits for progress on a proposal they believe could save lives.o turn these strong performances into wins when they host St. Patrick’s Athletic next.
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