Concerns continue to be raised over dangerous bus stops in County Derry

Mid Ulster councillor Denise Johnston has shared that she has had numerous parents contact her regarding the safety of bus stops in the County Derry area. 

The area of main concern is Hillhead Road just outside Knockloughrim, Maghera where children have to wait at a dangerous part in the road to be collected by the school bus. 

Speaking about the issue in a Facebook post Denise said: 

“I have had a lot of parents contact me on the issue of bus safety, especially around bus shelters. I know this one has been looked at and a letter is going to the Department of Infrastructure and there has been a response to that. So that is good. I will be keeping an eye on that to see what way that goes. It concerns me that this is common across our rural roads for our children. Some of the spots where children stand are literally just a grass verge along the road. In this particular one there is only a grass verge and the children have to walk up to an entrance to a house and wait for the bus to pull in there. However it is just below a brow of a hill where the speed limit on the road is 60mph. Sometimes cars will be going even faster than that. It is very very worrying and something needs to be done to address it. We are going to have to get into contact with DFI and Translink to work together here to try and improve the safety of these bus stops.” 

Increased concern for bus safety comes after an 11 year-old died after being struck by a car in Castledawson back in March. Caitlin Rose McMullan was getting off her school bus on Hillhead Road when she sadly lost her young life. 

At the time of her death Education Minister Paul Givan described her death as “devastating”.

He said: “As a parent, when we set our children off to school in the morning, none of us ever expect to receive such devastating news”