Dublin city's first school street launches on Newbrook Road

Eva Osborne

Dublin City Council has announced the opening of the city’s first 'school street' on Newbrook Road in Donaghmede.

This scheme will benefit students at St. Kevin’s JNS, Scoil Cholmcille, Scoil Bhríde, and Holy Trinity.

A school street is a traffic-calming solution used to reduce the traffic outside a school by restricting access to the street during school drop-off and pick-up times.

Parents and guardians are asked to either walk, cycle, scoot, or use public transport to get to school instead of driving or, if driving, to park away from the school and walk the final leg of the journey.

Limited access is allowed to the street during school street operation times for students with additional needs and emergency services.

Newbrook Road is a particularly busy residential street at school drop-off and pick-up times with 1,000 students accessing the four schools in the vicinity.

The cul de sac section of this street made it an ideal location to trial a school street, the council said.

In collaboration with St. Kevin’s JNS, Scoil Cholmcille, Scoil Bhríde, and Holy Trinity, a School Street trial took place from June – December 2024.

The initiative is being implemented as part of the Safe Routes to School Programme funded by the National Transport Authority.

The programme aims to improve safety at the school gate, alleviate congestion and increase the number of students who walk, cycle or scoot to school.

Walking and cycling officer with the council's traffic section, Ailish Lally, said: “We were delighted to see the implementation of this School Street following the successful trial.

"The removal of traffic from this section of the street instantly made it safer for students on their journey to school. Using active travel modes such as walking, cycling or scooting to school has huge benefits for students.

"It’s encouraging to see that there was an increase in active travel modes during the trial and we hope to see this trend continue.”