Children at North Cork school at risk from cars using motorway slip road, claims councillor 

Schoolchildren studying just metres from a Cork motorway exit are being put at risk because the slip road leading almost to their front door has an 80km/h speed limit, a local councillor has claimed.

Concerns have been raised about the safety of children attending the national school in Watergrasshill, particularly as a large volume of HGVs and cars pass the school daily to avoid paying the nearby toll on the M8 motorway.

A 2023 traffic survey showed that more than 3,000 vehicles pass the school each day.

Watergrasshill-based Fianna Fáil councillor Sheila O’Callaghan raised the issue at a meeting of Cobh Municipal District Council.

She said the speed of vehicles coming off the motorway slip roads adjacent to the national school is “awful” and that the local garda is working to help protect pupils.

Carried out works

Cork County Council, in conjunction with the National Roads Authority, carried out works on the western side of the school, the side closest to the motorway. A pedestrian crossing with traffic lights was installed.

“This pedestrian crossing is not a raised ramp and does not slow the traffic other than when it turns red,” Ms O’Callaghan said.

In a statement council engineers said: “Cork County Council will continue to monitor traffic speeds in the vicinity of Watergrasshill National School.

“Should the recorded speeds indicate non-compliance with speed limits, the council will consider the reinstallation of a driver feedback sign or other appropriate measures to enhance driver awareness, particularly in relation to school traffic and pedestrian safety.”

They said they would report back to councillors with the findings of the speed surveys.