Sugden raises safety concerns for pupils walking along rural roads

East Derry MLA Claire Sugden has raised concerns about the safety of pupils who must walk along rural roads to access school transport, particularly during darker mornings and evenings at certain times of the year.

Speaking today, the independent MLA said: “East Londonderry is a largely rural constituency and many children rely on school buses each day. For some families that means young people walking along country roads to reach their bus stop, often in areas with no footpaths and very little lighting.

“While we are now moving into brighter months, many parents worry about what that journey looks like during darker mornings and evenings in autumn and winter. On narrow rural roads it can be difficult for drivers to see children clearly.

“I have asked the Department of Education what consideration was given to pupil visibility and safety when developing the recently published school uniform guidelines, including whether schools can incorporate reflective elements where it may help improve visibility.

“This isn’t about changing school uniforms. It’s about looking at simple, practical steps that could help make children more visible and safer when travelling to and from school.

“I have also asked the Department for Infrastructure what assessment has been made of the safety of pupils who must walk along rural roads to access school bus stops. In rural areas like East Londonderry, even small improvements that help drivers see children sooner could make a real difference.”