Mallon announces Part-time 20mph speed limits becoming operational at 103 schools

Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon has today announced that new part-time speed limits on roads adjacent to 103 Schools are now being implemented.

Pictured left to right, Brian Craig, Kiivsach Bradley, Principal Paul Berne of Edmund Rice College and Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon.

Minister Mallon said:

“I made a commitment in September last year to bring forward legislation to introduce part-time 20mph speed limits at around 100 schools across Northern Ireland so that parents, children and staff will be safer as they go to and from school every day.

“I can today announce that part-time speed limits have now been set in legislation for 103 schools at 90 sites across Northern Ireland. Children, parents and teachers in every part of the North will see positive, practical changes to limit vehicles speeding on the roads around their schools.

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

“My officials are working to complete the schemes, with the legislation now in place to enforce the new part-time 20mph speed limit measures at these schools.

“This is another step forward in our efforts to make our roads safer for all users, however, I would reiterate that we all have a collective responsibility to take care using our roads.”

At each of the schools new road signs will be erected in the form of standard fixed speed limit roundel signs with flashing amber lights set to come on at the times the reduced speed limit applies. This follows trials at a number of schools in 2019 to determine the effectiveness of this arrangement of signs and it was found they reduced the mean speed.

The full list of schools to benefit from the 20mph speed limit schemes is available at: 20mph speed limit schemes for 100 Schools

Notes to editors: 

1. The Traffic Regulation Order proposed by the Minister has been approved by the Committee for Infrastructure. Legislation is now in place for new part-time speed limits on a number of lengths of road adjacent to 103 schools in Northern Ireland and the amendment of an existing speed limit at Ballougry Primary School in Londonderry.
2. Following completion of the required statutory consultation process, including advertising of the Notice of Intention in the three local daily papers, no objections were received.  The consultation period ended on the 29th December 2020.
3. The Statutory Rule is made under powers conferred by Article 38 of the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. The effect of the Order is that the current speed limit applicable to the lengths of the roads, shall be reduced to 20 miles per hour when a 20 miles per hour limit is indicated by means of a variable message traffic sign in the vicinity of the listed schools. The 103 schools are covered by 90 sites within the Order with a number of the sites covering more than 1 school.
4. The use of part-time 20mph speed limits at schools using fixed 'normal' signs along with flashing lights was recently trialled at seven schools in 2019.
5. When compared with the previously piloted and used fully electronic LED signing arrangements, the new arrangement using fixed 'normal' signs along with flashing lights will result in better reliability as well as reduced provision and installation costs.  
6. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
7. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hour’s service for media enquiries between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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