Minister Committed To Road Safety Outside NI's Schools

Road safety around schools in NI remains a priority with Infrastructure Minister Nicola Mallon committing to continue the roll-out of a 20mph speed limit on the roads outside their gates.

The Minister has visited five schools in the Mid Ulster area which have been included in the 2021/22 programme to have 20mph speed limit schemes installed.

The schemes at Aughamullan PS, St Malachy's PS, Lissan PS, Ballylifford PS and Spires Integrated PS are part of a £2 million investment announced by the Minister which is seeing the roll-out of part-time 20mph speed limit schemes at over 200 schools across Northern Ireland. The scheme at Spires Integrated PS will also benefit pupils and staff at a number of other schools on the Moneymore Road, Magherafelt.

The works at the schools are due to be completed by the end of March 2022.

Minister Mallon had the opportunity to meet with the pupils and staff to hear at first hand the benefits the new schemes will bring for the school community.

Minister Mallon said: "I made a commitment last year to allocate £2million of funding to bring forward part-time 20mph speed limits at 103 schools across Northern Ireland so that parents, children and staff will be safer as they go to and from school on a daily basis. This year I allocated a further £2 million of funding to bring forward part-time 20mph speed limits at 106 schools.

"I am delighted to visit the schools today to meet with the pupils and staff. I want to thank them for their warm welcome.

"This is one of 25 similar schemes being delivered across the Western Division Roads area and is another step forward in our efforts to make our roads safer for all users.

"Road safety, especially around our schools, is a priority and it is my intention that through future programmes many more schools will have a 20mph speed limit on the roads outside their gates."