SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson and Policing Board member Mark H Durkan MLA has welcomed an agreement in principle to invest monies generated from NI Road Safety Partnership enforcement activity into educational and awareness raising programmes.
The move was agreed during a recent meeting of the NIPB Partnership Committee.
It follows proposals from Mr Durkan to reinvest revenue from fixed penalties in road safety and across government departments.
Said the Foyle MLA: “This is a welcome, necessary step which I hope will achieve long term results to promote road safety and reduce the number of accidents on our roads.
“Road Safety consists of three elements; enforcement, engineering and education. Last year, a record number of speeding penalties were issued across the North.
“When pressing for further information I was advised that the majority of the funding generated through this avenue was reinvested by NIRSP back into enforcement.
“I pushed both the Department for Infrastructure and the Policing Board on the urgent need to rethink how this money is utilised.
“It’s no secret that road safety has been compromised as a result of the massive budget cuts within DfI. Over the last decade there has been a drastic reduction in road fatalities and that is commendable.
“I’d argue that was largely as a result of powerful educational programmes through our schools and TV advertising, but the budget for those integral information campaigns has been heavily diminished.
“The rising numbers of lives being lost on our roads must serve as an impetus do to better, to employ innovative thinking in terms of strategically spending available funds and keeping people safe.
“By prioritising education and awareness initiatives, we are empowering individuals to make safer choices while travelling and fostering a culture of road safety which will help prevent injury and save lives.”
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