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PRESS RELEASE

EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01AM ON FRIDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2007 

9 November 2007
PN 06/07

Committee Reports on Road Safety Strategy

At a press conference on 9 November in Parliament Buildings the NI Assembly Public Accounts Committee published its report on Northern Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy. The conference was attended by Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), children who won the Road Safety Council Debating Competition on Road Safety, and a number of organisations involved with road safety.

The committee chairperson John O’Dowd said:

“The committee is disappointed to find that a number of key recommendations made by it on the Road Safety Strategy in the year 2000 have not been progressed and that the Strategy’s targets were almost reached only in 2005 some three years into its term.

“It is also concerned that there are gaps in the departments’ knowledge about particular groups of road users, such as children living in disadvantaged areas and motorcyclists, as well as the 220% increase in motorcycle ownership accompanied by a 50% increase in motorcyclist casualties over the last decade.

“There are serious misgivings about the PSNI failure to operate UK wide guidance on mileage thresholds for recording speeding offences and also their screening levels of drivers suspected of being under the influence of drink or drugs which is well below recommended European levels.

“A further disappointment is the fact that there are still no specific local measures in place to deal with those road users with repeat convictions, sometimes for very serious offences.

“Consequently the Committee’s message to all the responsible agencies is that it will no longer accept procrastination on road safety and is waiting for their response to this report. It will monitor the undertakings given and will follow each one up to ensure they are implemented on time”.

Notes to editors:  

  1. Northern Ireland ’s rate of deaths and serious injuries on the roads is significantly higher than in the rest of the UK. In 2005 alone 135 people were killed and 1073 seriously injured on Northern Ireland’s roads.
  2. There is a high casualty rate among 17-24 year olds but no specific target for reducing them.
  3. A Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland with a key target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured by 33% was produced in 2002.
  4. Northern Ireland ’s drink driving limit is one of the highest in Europe
  5. The PAC Committee members are:-
    Mr John O’Dowd, (SF) Chairperson
    Mr Roy Beggs, (UUP) Deputy Chairperson
    Mr Trevor Lunn ( Alliance)
    Mr Jonathan Craig (DUP)
    Mr Simon Hamilton (DUP)
    Mr David Hilditch (DUP)
    Ms Dawn Purvis (PUP)
    Mr Mickey Brady (SF)
    Mr Mitchel McLaughlin (SF)
    Mr John Dallat (SDLP)
    Mr Patsy McGlone (SDLP)
  6. Standing Orders under Section 60(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 have provided for the establishment of the Public Accounts Committee (the Committee). The main statutory function of the Committee is to consider accounts and the reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland (C&AG) laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly.
  7. The C&AG is head of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) and is empowered to investigate any area of expenditure and has a statutory right of access to all files and papers in Departments and public bodies.

Media enquiries to:
Kieran Dougan,
Information Office, Parliament Buildings, Belfast. BT4 3XX
Tel. 028 90521642 Mobile 07825146794
Email: kieran.dougan@niassembly.gov.uk
Website archive.niassembly.gov.uk