PUPILS from Scoil Bhride in Leitir Mhic a Bhaird took to the school gates this week to remind motorists to slow down and obey the 60kmh speed limit.
The road safety initiative comes amid growing concerns within the local community about speeding through the village.
Local councillor Brian Carr said the issue was the focus of a recent community meeting involving local groups, schools and businesses.
“Last week I attended a meeting in Lettermacaward along with all the community groups, the schools and businesses, to discuss the speed issue through the village,” he said.
Cllr Carr brought the results of a speed survey to the meeting, which highlighted the scale of the problem.
“I brought with me the results of a speed survey that was done in 2024 by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and the results were very concerning,” he said.
According to the survey, conducted between December 8 and December 18, the average speed recorded through the village was 80kmh, significantly above the posted limit.
During the same period the two highest speeds recorded were 125kmh and 132kmh.
“Everyone at the meeting was shocked at these speeds,” Cllr Carr said.
He believes speeding has become a more significant issue since the completion of the realigned N56 route.
“The 60km zone through the village stretches 2.1km and the Lettermacaward development group and I have been campaigning for a while for stronger traffic calming measures and better gateway signage,” he said.
As part of efforts to tackle the problem, community representatives agreed to focus on raising awareness among motorists.
“One of the actions agreed at the meeting was to try to create awareness, and what better way to start than the children of Scoil Bhride leading the message,” Cllr Carr said.
He is also encouraging residents of Lettermacaward and other communities affected by speeding to take part in an upcoming public consultation on speed limits.
The consultation will take place in Dungloe Public Services Centre on June 30 from 3pm to 6pm.
This will provide members of the public with an opportunity to share their views on speed limits and road safety measures in the area.