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)

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