Four schools in Fermanagh will have a part-time 20mph speed limit implemented as part of a new scheme announced by the Infrastructure Minister this week.

On Monday, September 7 Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon announced the roll out of part-time 20mph speed limit schemes at 100 schools across Northern Ireland.

Of the 100 schools to avail of the scheme, four are in Fermanagh; St. Aidan’s High School, Derrylin, St. Mary’s Primary School, Bellanaleck, St. Mary’s Primary School, Maguiresbridge and Florencecourt Primary School.

Making the announcement, Minister Mallon said: “I made a commitment in June to allocate £2million of funding to bring forward part-time 20mph speed limits at around 100 schools across Northern Ireland so that parents, children and staff will be safer as they go to and from school on a daily basis.”

Stating that she was delighted to announce the 100 schools that will benefit from the introduction of the new reduced speed limits for this year, Minister Mallon continued: “Children, parents and teachers in every part of the North will see positive, practical changes delivered on the ground by the Department of Infrastructure in their community.”

“Schools in Northern Ireland were assessed across our four roads Divisions and 25 schools in each Division were identified based on considerations of need as well as individual site constraints,” she added.

Highlighting that road safety, especially around schools, is a priority, she added: “It is my intention that through future programmes many more schools will have a 20mph speed limit on the roads outside their gates. My officials are working at pace to develop the schemes, take forward the legislation and put in place the new part-time 20mph speed limit measures at these schools.”

“This is another step forward in our effort to make our roads safer, however, it is vital that all road users take care on our roads. Together we can deliver safer places for all our communities,” Minister Mallon concluded.

Ulster Unionist MLA Rosemary Barton welcomed Minister Mallon’s announcement that part-time 20mph speed limits will be put in place at 100 schools.

Mrs. Barton said: “This is something that I have lobbied for outside a number of schools in my constituency, having witnessed the speed of traffic outside schools particularly at opening and home times.”

“I had a site meeting at Florencecourt Primary School last year and had contacted the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Infrastructure asking for this very action to be considered,” she said, noting that Florencecourt Primary School is located off a very busy road that carries a lot of cross border traffic: “The National Speed Limit is in place, which is much too fast for the area when the schoolchildren were going to and coming from school.”

“Very often with the extra traffic around schools at the start and end of the school day, young people, parents, those collecting the pupils and staff are vulnerable, especially where parked vehicles can impede a view while crossing the road. These part-time 20mph limits I hope will be effective in reducing speed and making our roads safer around schools,” Mrs. Barton stated.

At each of the schools new road signs will be erected in the form of standard fixed speed limit roundel signs with flashing amber lights set to come on at the times the reduced speed limit applies. This follows trials at a number of schools to determine the effectiveness of this arrangement of signs and it was found they have a positive impact on the reduction in mean speed.