Londonderry DPP meeting 'extremely positive'

The meeting took place at the Everglades Hotel in Prehen and was attended by about 50 people.

Presentations were received from the PSNI Priority Manager for Road Safety, Inspector Bill Mulligan; PSNI Family Liaison Officer, Cons. Mark Cathers; NI Fire and Rescue Service, Station Commander Paddy Quinn and Francis McDaid from the Road Angel Legacy Support Group.

Those attending the meeting were briefed on the numbers killed and seriously injured on our roads as a result of road traffic accidents and were updated on the services provided by the PSNI and NIFRS in relation to community education on the topic and support provided to families affected by road deaths or injuries.

Francis McDaid from the Road Angel Legacy Support Group courageously detailed his personal experience on the death of his young daughter and pleaded with those in the audience to reduce their speed and take more care on the roads.

Mr McDaid also requested that the District Policing Partnership and local politicians lobby the Minister for Justice to address the excessive length of time it takes many cases to get to court.

Welcoming the public participation at the meeting, Alderman Miller said: "The DPP is the public's partnership that has been set up to address the policing needs of the entire community.

"We have a mandate to put the police under scrutiny but we also need to encourage public co-operation with the police and to work collectively to bring about a positive approach to policing and ensure that issues of concern to our citizens are discussed and addressed.

"Last night's meeting was another example of dealing with the public's concerns specifically in relation to road safety and accident prevention and it was timely that the meeting was arranged just as winter is drawing in and road conditions are becoming more dangerous. "The message from the meeting was that drivers need to reduce speed, concentrate on their driving, always wear a seatbelt and never drive after taking alcohol or drugs.

"In the first four months of this year there has been a 42 per cent reduction in those killed or seriously injured on Northern Ireland's roads but there is no room for complacency and we need to continue to hammer home the road safety message to all drivers."