Additional signage on a notorious stretch of road in Portadown will not be provided, say the Department for Infrastructure.
Calls were made for additional speed signage on the Dungannon Road by Upper Bann MLA Jonathan Buckley earlier this month.
In April of this year, 18-year-old Morgan Henry tragically lost his life following a road traffic collision on the road.
The MLA offered his “thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies” to Morgan’s family at that devastating time.
However, in response to the MLA’s calls for improvements, the Minister for Infrastructure has insisted the existing signage is “appropriate”.
Said Liz Minister Kimmins: “Road safety is an extremely high priority for my Department and it is committed to working proactively to make our roads safer and to address the needs of all road users.
“Officials have advised that the current speed limit of 40mph and the associated signage on the Dungannon Road from Corcrain to Drumcree Road is considered appropriate and in line with my Department’s policy.
“The National Speed Limit which applies from the Drumcree Road to The Birches Roundabout is also considered appropriate.”
In accordance with her Department’s current policy, the Minister explains that repeater signs for roads where the National Speed Limit applies cannot be provided as this would “lead to an over proliferation of unnecessary signage”, and to do so would “in some cases but not others result in inconsistency, driver uncertainty and enforcement issues”.
Instead, the Minister asserts she would like to see “what can be done to improve attitudes to speeding, not only for road safety purposes, but to make places cleaner and greener”.
Added Ms Kimmins in relation to works the Department is carrying out under tranche three of 20mph school zones: “I have therefore asked my officials to prepare a paper on the use of permanent 20mph speed limits particularly near schools, in predominately residential areas and places such as town centres, where there is a higher number of those walking, wheeling and cycling. This important work is ongoing and will be subject to public consultation later this year.
“Concerns regarding driver behaviour should be directed to the PSNI using their non-emergency 101 number.”
