Pat Ramsey MLA:
A Derry SDLP MLA’s drive for a 20mph speed limit across residential areas of the North has moved up a gear.
But UUP Roads Minister Danny Kennedy appears to be trying to put the financial brakes on the plans.
He has warned that paying for new signage for motorists will cost at between £6m and £26m.
Mr Kennedy said the costs would put further pressure on his department which is already facing severe budget cuts.
He was commenting on SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey’s Private Member’s Bill which passed its second stage towards becoming law without a formal vote.
Mr Ramsey said the sole objective was to save lives after five people were killed last year within a 30mph speed zone.
“In 2014, a total of 79 prematurely bereaved families were forced to deal with the consequences of a fatal road collision,” he told MLAs.
“Some 523 serious road traffic collisions were recorded by PSNI between January and November 2014. Of those deaths, provisional figures for 2014 show that five pedestrian deaths occurred on urban roads where the limit was 30mph.
“I am not saying that this legislation would have any impact if implemented on those particular highways, but it is a starting point.”
Alban Maginness of the SDLP argued that effective legislation imports values into society that change behaviours – such as no-smoking laws which 10 years ago “were unimaginable”.
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