14/12/2004

First School Safety Zone launched at St Joseph's College

The Department for Regional Development’s Roads Service today launched the first School Safety Zone in Northern Ireland.

The School Safety Zone, which is part of the Safer Routes to School initiative, aims to provide a safer environment, through road improvements and traffic calming measures, for pupils journeying to and from school.

Commenting at today’s launch in St Joseph's College, Belfast, John Spellar, Minister with responsibility for the Department for Regional Development said: “The Safer Routes to School initiative was driven by the Northern Ireland School Travel Advisory Group.

“The programme assesses how we, in Northern Ireland, might reduce the impact of the 'school run,’ which accounts for nearly 20% of the traffic on the road at 8.50am each morning. This initiative encourages children and young people who want to walk, cycle or use public transport on the journey to and from school.”

DRD Roads Service developed the School Safety Zone in partnership with the Department of Education, DOE Road Safety Branch, the Health Promotion Agency, Sustrans, the Sustainable Transport Charity and Translink.

(MB/SP)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

02 March 2018
Schools Closures Across NI
The Department of Education have published a list of all schools across that have confirmed they will be closed today, Friday 2nd March, 2018 due to the adverse weather conditions.
03 September 2003
Sign warns motorists on dangerous A2 bend to slow down
Motorists in North Down are being urged to slow down after a new sign actrivated by approaching vehicles began operation on the A2 Belfast to Bangor Road at Coach Hill Bend.
07 June 2004
Cameras help make Northern Ireland's roads safer
Superintendent Ian Hamill, Head of the PSNI's Road Policing Development Branch, has announced that on stretches of road where speed cameras are in use there has been a dramatic 27% drop in accidents involving serious injury and death.
09 May 2006
Roads Service to spend £6M on improvements
The Roads Service is to invest £4 million into the Armagh district and £2 million in the Newtownabbey area over the next twelve months, it has been revealed today.
26 January 2004
Roads Service prepared to deal with snowfalls
Prepared to deal with heavy snowfalls, the DRD Roads Service in Northern Ireland have been on special alert since Sunday, following an advanced warning of possible snow from the Meteorological Office.