Dickson Welcomes Increase in Part-Time 20mph Zones Near Schools

On the 12th April, East Antrim Alliance MLA, Stewart Dickson, asked the Minister for Infrastructure what additional 20mph zones her Department was considering in East Antrim. The Minister's welcome response is detailed below.

Answer: I was delighted to have been able to commit funding from the 2020/2021 capital budget toward the introduction of part-time 20 mph speed limits at 103 schools. These measures increase driver awareness and achieve reductions in vehicle speeds outside and near these schools ensuring that parents, children and staff will be safer as they go to and from the schools on a daily basis.

Given the restricted budgets for works of this nature, as well as the practicalities of delivery, it was necessary to limit the number of schools to around 100 in the initial programme. However I do intend to take forward a further tranche of part-time speed limits at schools and all schools within the East Antrim area will be considered for inclusion in future programmes, the extent and scale of which will be dependent on the level of funding available to me in the 2021/22 financial year and beyond.