'˜Children's safety '˜must be paramount'

A survey had initially ruled out speed bumps outside the school because it was a main thoroughfare and had in excess of 5,000 vehicles travelling on it per day.

The Department of Infrastructure however has now said that a further review has been undertaken and that speed bumps will be considered along with other safety measures.

Caoimhe McKnight said: “I wholeheartedly support the call by St. Paul’s Principal Gareth Blackery for traffic calming measures on the Moss Road.

“Transport NI’s original reason of it being a main thoroughfare carrying approximately 5000 vehicles a day rather than being a reason for refusal should in fact - given that there is a Primary School catering for hundreds of young children on this road - be a motivation to employ whatever measures required to ensure the maximum safety of pupils going to and from St Paul’s.

“Children’s wellbeing when it comes to road safety considerations must always be paramount. We have seen too often in this city and elsewhere that action to install traffic calming measures only become a priority when a child is killed or seriously injured.

“This must not be allowed to be the case in this instance and it is incumbent on Transport NI to act with the utmost haste to ensure the safety of the pupils and other pedestrians who use this road daily.”