There has been widespread welcome for the announcement that Meath County Council has signed off on the footpath project between Donacarney National School and Bettystown Cross and that work will start straight away.
Fianna Fáil Councillor and Cathaoirleach of the South Drogheda-East Meath Municipal District, Stephen McKee said: “There is a clear and urgent need to ensure that local children can get to school safely and that residents of Donacarney can also safely access Bettystown by foot and bicycle and vice versa.
“Donacarney and the wider area has become increasingly urbanised; there is a serious infrastructure deficit in the area considering the large and growing population there now is and we need to provide improved services and infrastructure to help improve the quality of life for local people. This project is a help towards that aim.
“This footpath/cycleway will encourage more local people and families to walk and cycle to and from Donacarney National School and beyond, thereby promoting healthier lifestyle options’ continued McKee.
“There are serious ongoing concerns about traffic management on the school road itself. The volume of traffic using the road is huge, with many trucks and buses travelling along it, so safety needs to be prioritised.
“I asked that the recent funding award to Donacarney National School through the ‘Safe Routes To School Programme’ be utilised to this end and I can confirm that works under this scheme will be carried out at the school in tandem with the footpath works. This should make a big difference to road safety and in reducing traffic congestion at the school’ concluded McKee.
Sharon Tolan “absolutely delighted”
Councillor Sharon Tolan said that she too was “absolutely delighted” that the Chief Executives Order has been signed and the contract for construction of the Donacarney Footpath has been awarded to Dancor Civil Engineering Ltd.
“It has been a long and frustrating process and it has been particularly nerve wracking for the past couple of weeks as we awaited the final approval from the NTA to proceed and the last of the landowners to sign their contracts” he said.
“All systems are go now, and Dancor have crews ready to begin work immediately”.
“Also under construction in the coming weeks are a number of ‘Safe Routes to School’ works for students at Realt na Mara Boys & Girls National School. Davis Civil Engineering will be completing these works, and will also be installing pedestrian crossings at the school, and on the Eastham Road at the Northlands Estate and on the Golf Links Road adjacent to Burrows Lane Coffeehouse.
“An incredible amount of improvements are being delivered in the coming weeks” Tolan added, “… and believe me when I tell you I have been as frustrated and disappointed that it has taken this long to deliver this scheme.
“It had many, many hurdles, right up until Friday last! I promised I would keep at this, and I can’t wait to see it finally finished, to see people using it, and to tick that box DONE!.”
