No traffic calming measures outside Co Derry primary schools

Two schools in County Derry have no traffic calming measures in place outside their school gates, it has emerged.

St Columba's Primary School in Ballerin and Damhead Primary School in Coleraine are among four schools across the North which were found to have 50mph or 60mph speed limits and no traffic calming measures.

The stark findings came from a recent audit of 60 new schools which have joined sustainable transport charity Sustrans’ Active School Travel Programme.

Calls for speed reduction on roads outside schools

Two local representatives are calling for traffic calming measures.

Other findings from the audit show that just ten per cent of the schools have permanent 20mph speed limits outside the school gates while two schools have no footpaths outside the gates despite having 50mph or 60mph speed limits.

The audit also found that 80 per cent of schools have no cycle paths within 500m of the school gates and 73 per cent of schools are congested with traffic throughout the school day.

With Road Safety Week running until November 20, Sustrans has now said more investment is needed for safe routes to school.

They’re calling for more investment to provide infrastructure which will persuade parents and carers to ditch driving in favour of cheaper, healthier alternatives to safely deliver children to the school gate.

County Derry primary school 'did not meet criteria' for 20mph limit

A local representative has criticised the Department scheme.

Beth Harding, Sustrans Active School Travel Manager, said: “As an important requirement of the Active School Travel Programme, we completed a basic infrastructure audit with the 60 new schools that joined the programme this year in September 2022.

"The audit highlights the many barriers to more children and families travelling actively to school.

“While we teach them knowledge and skills to increase their confidence, it needs to be easier for these children to be able to travel actively on foot, scoot or cycle with safe routes and secure and dry cycle parking available.

“Although this is only a small sample number of schools, we know from experience it is a snapshot of the situation of many other schools in Northern Ireland.

“Much more needs to be done in terms of safety infrastructure to convince parents and carers that they can make the short journey to school any way other than by car which brings associated financial and environmental costs.”