Petition addressed to: Mayo Co Co

Restoration of the Traffic Warden on the N59 Westport at Scoil Phádraig
As of November 2025, the pedestrian crossing on the N59 at Scoil Phádraig, Westport, no longer has a Traffic Warden present during school drop-off and collection times. Historically, a Traffic Warden has always been on duty at this crossing each morning and afternoon.
This pedestrian crossing experiences heavy use between 8:30–9:00 a.m. and 2:25–2:45 p.m., serving students from both Scoil Phádraig and Holy Trinity National School. The schools are situated on the N59 — one of the main national primary routes into Westport — adjacent to a busy service station and near the New Road and one of the town’s major supermarkets.
 
Scoil Phádraig operates as a ‘Park and Stride’ school. From its inception, it was designed on the basis that parents cannot access the school grounds by car; instead, all access is on foot. The layout and approach routes, approved by Mayo County Council, reflect this commitment to pedestrian access. The school also works closely with the Westport Smarter Travel initiative, which promotes sustainable travel options within the town and its environs.
 
Because of this design, Scoil Phádraig has a particularly strong need for a dedicated Traffic Warden to ensure the safety of pupils and parents crossing the N59, and to maintain the smooth flow of traffic during peak hours. This need had been consistently met by Mayo County Council from the school’s opening until September 2025.
 
Parents of both Scoil Phádraig and Holy Trinity National School are deeply concerned about the removal of the Traffic Warden — especially during dark winter mornings — and urge Mayo County Council to reinstate this vital safety measure without delay.
The absence of a Traffic Warden not only poses a serious safety risk to schoolchildren who have long relied on this support, but it also contributes to traffic disruption for all road users on the N59 entering Westport.
We therefore call on Mayo County Council to restore the Traffic Warden position at the N59 crossing at Scoil Phádraig in the interest of safety and community well-being.