February 2015

Our Lady of Lourdes Walk-ability Audit

Our lady of Lourdes is shooting ahead in their work to promote sustainable travel. A survey completed with the school indicated that 40% are driven to school with 47.5% walking all the way to school. This is a great result but the team felt they could do better. As part of their action planning process students examined where students travel from and worked out common routes to school. Once common routes were identified the group set about auditing them for positive and negative attributes for pedestrians/cyclists. The students found that the area is well serviced by bus routes and has footpaths in all directions but much of these were in slight disrepair and road markings could be better in places. This report has since been submitted to the Local Authorities for review.

Walk-ability Audit Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes Audit Report 

An Modhscoil Walk-abilty Audit

Students from An Modhscoil took off along common routes to school this month to identify positive and negative attributes to walking. Over the course of the morning we covered a great deal of ground from O'Connell Avenue to the Peoples Park and the students really engaged in the activity....we learned so much about school routes leading to An Modhscoil! This report is currently being reviewed by the school and will be submitted to the Limerick Smarter Travel team shortly

Students made notes of all of the findings

This bus stop could do with attention!

Modhscoil Walkability Report 

Charlie Bird visits our lady queen of peace
Following on from their win at the RSA Leading Light Awards 2014, Our Lady Queen of Peace was invited to participate in a special video showcasing their work to promote school gate safety for the RSAs International Conference on Child Safety. It was an exciting morning across the school especially as the interviews were being conducted by none other than Charlie Bird. A copy of this video will be availlable in our April Edition.

Janesboro mens group discussing their work on road safety figures with Charlie Bird

Filming for the RSA Child Safety Video 

School Travel Plans
One of the key elements of our work is the development of school travel plans to support the uptake of sustainable travel options. As part of this process we work with students to identify common routes, determine how they travel to school and use this information to develop an action plan. Another aspect of our work is to determine any knowledge gaps relating to sustainable travel and then implement ways to address these i.e. bus stop timetables, bike shop locations. This process is ongoing and evolving all of the time thanks to the enthusiastic input from teachers across Limerick. 

LST School Travel Plan Example

Upcoming Events

• National Scoot to School Week will take place from March 9-13th where schools across the country will be encouraged to scoot if they can. The schools programme will be offering schools free scooter training ahead and during this week. If your school is interested in participating in this new workshop please get in touch with our office

If you have a story you would like to share we would love to hear from you!
To submit stories please email lstschoolproject@gmail.com 

For further information on the schools programme please visit our website www.limericksmartertravel.ie . 

Regular updates relating to the project are provided via Twitter : @lksmartertravel or @gstravellimerick

and Facebook : Limerick Smarter Travel

November 2014

Travel Workshops in Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh

Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh Secondary School undertook a number of actions this month as part of their school travel action plan. On the 25th /26th Nov four groups of 2nd year students (100+ students) undertook a school travel mapping exercise. This activity aimed to raise awareness about sustainable travel networks in the vicinity of the school and identify actions for moving forward. This was followed with a series of walk-ability audits on all common routes to school on the 26th/27th with the same group. The school has now completed its environmental review and is looking to undertake an action project with third year students to kick start Walking action days. 

Walk-Ability Audit Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh (Nov 2014)

Mapping Workshop Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh (Nov 2014)

School Travel Lectures in Mary Immaculate College Limerick

Introductory presentations to travel mapping and school travel planning was delivered to +400 primary teaching students in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. These presentations were a joint initiative between Green-Schools Travel and Limerick Smarter Travel and served to illustrate new ways to teach transport as a theme at primary level. The schools programme delivered three workshops which were then continued by the Geography lecturer which increased the reach of the workshop to 400 students. 

Travel Workshop in Mary Immaculate College Limerick

St. Patricks GNS set the example for travel monitoring

St. Patricks GNS have developed an innovative way to track progress for their school travel action plan. Each Wednesday, travel committee team members survey classes and compile % for their school chart in the corridor. This is an excellent development as it highlights progress to the entire school community. We loved how they added in weather monitoring to their surveys as highlights the impact of weather on travel choices. 

Travel monitoring St. Patricks GNS, Dublin Rd.Limerick

Farewell to Siobhan

Siobhan O Dwyer - School Travel Officer extraordinaire is leaving the schools programme to lead the Limerick Smarter Travel Workplaces programme. Siobhan has been an incredible support to the schools programme since September 2013 and we wish her all the best in her new role as Workplace Programme Coordinator. 

Best of luck in your new role

For further information on the schools programme please visit our website www.limericksmartertravel.ie . 

Regular updates relating to the project are provided via Twitter : @lksmartertravel or @gstravellimerick

and Facebook : Limerick Smarter Travel