SDLP motion urges legislation requiring vehicles to stop when school buses are picking up or dropping off children
The SDLP will bring a motion to the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday urging the Minister for Infrastructure to introduce legislation to require vehicles to stop when school buses are picking up or dropping off children.
The motion comes in response to growing calls for action on this issue and follows the tragic death of 11 year old Caitlin-Rose McMullan, who was killed after disembarking from school a bus earlier this year.
It also builds on previous work led by SDLP representatives on Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Malachy Quinn and Councillor Denise Johnston, who successfully tabled a similar motion at council level.
Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone said: “Every day across Mid Ulster and across the north, cars speed past school buses, gambling with children’s lives. The tragic death of Caitlin-Rose McMullan in March has seen a young life cut far too short, devastating her family and our community, and we as legislators need to do everything we can to prevent this from happening again.
“Our motion calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to introduce common-sense legislation that ensures vehicles stop when school buses are picking up or setting down pupils. In the US, Canada, and Germany, strong laws already exist to protect children in these vulnerable moments. There is no reason that we can’t do the same here.
“Caitlin-Rose’s memory must drive us to do what we should have done long ago - stop the cars, save lives, and give parents peace of mind that their children can travel to and from school safely.”
Councillor Denise Johnston added: “Too many of our children have been injured or killed after getting of a bus, and we as a society are not doing enough to prevent it from happening.
“As a parent, I cannot imagine the pain Stella McMullan lives with every day. But I have been inspired by her courage in campaigning for change, and we must do everything in our power to protect our children through implementing legislation that can achieve this.
Councillor Malachy Quinn added: “The only way to affect change is to force vehicles to stop and allow children to disembark from buses safely, creating a safe zone around every child stepping off a school bus and sending a clear message that reckless driving near our children stops now.