Portadown: Petition calling for 20mph speed limit signed by over 100 pupils at Birches Primary School
Councillors have welcomed a petition calling for the speed limit to be lowered to 20mph outside Birches Primary School, Clonmakate Road, Portadown.
The petition was signed by pupils, including members of the School Council. A copy of it was sent to Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council, along with a letter which included the following: “We are writing as the School Council of Birches Primary School because we are very worried about the safety of all children, families, and staff outside our school.
“After the recent car accident that happened outside our school gates on Monday, February 2, at around 2.30 pm, many pupils have told us they feel unsafe when arriving at or leaving school.
“We are very thankful that no one was walking through the gates at the exact moment of the accident. However, we understand that if it had happened even a few seconds earlier or later, someone could have been seriously hurt.
“Children use the area outside our school every day. Cars can come around the corner quickly, and it is sometimes hard for drivers to see us because we are small.
“The new play park beside the school is also very busy, with lots of younger children, parents, and grandparents using the footpath between the school and the road. This makes the area even more dangerous if cars are travelling too fast.
“We would like to kindly ask the council to please take urgent action by introducing a 20mph part-time speed limit during school start and finish times; adding clearer signs around the school entrance and the play park; and considering extra safety or traffic-calming measures to slow vehicles down."
Councillor Kyle Moutray (DUP, Portadown DEA) remarked: “Their School Council has taken the very proactive step to raise road-safety concerns, along with a petition signed by over 100 pupils from the school.
“This follows an incident on February 2, when a car accident occurred outside the school gate. Luckily, no one was hurt, but it has left children, parents and staff members feeling very vulnerable.
“Can I propose that we write to DfI as a council, and ask them to seriously consider the actions that the school has requested?”
Seconding the proposal, Councillor Peter Lavery (Alliance, Lurgan DEA) commented: “Quite frankly, there should be 20mph [speed limits] outside all the schools, [given] the number of incidents that have occurred.
“Indeed, in another Portadown primary school there was a pupil knocked down outside the school quite recently, and the more safety measures which we can implement outside our schools, and the more drivers adhere to those additional safety measures, the better, especially outside these rural primary schools.”
Voicing his support, Councillor Keith Haughian (SF, Lurgan DEA) said: “I actually raised this matter during our clinic, and I think the rationale at the minute is that it’s due to funding, and that it’s only applicable for schools within 60mph zones at present, but I know the minister has recently had a consultation out for the public.
“It closed a number of days ago, so when we get some feedback from that, this will be picked up because I think there’s broad agreement across the chamber that this is the kind of thing we should be involved in.”
François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter