A request by a Co Armagh primary to introduce a new 20mph speed limit after an accident close to school gates has been turned down because it “does not meet criteria”.
The children of Birches Primary had lobbied ABC Council, submitting a petition flagging their concerns, saying they were “frightened” and “worried” for their own safety.
The petition was completed by the School Council and attracted 120 signatures from pupils and staff.
Backing their calls, ABC Council agreed at the end of April to take the matter up with the Department for Infrastructure on the pupils’ behalf.
After the collision on the Clonmakate Road, the School Council, in their correspondence to council, said “many pupils have told us they feel unsafe when arriving at or leaving school”.
Their letter to council added: “We are very thankful that no-one was walking through the gates at the exact moment of the accident. However, we understand that if it had happened even a few seconds earlier or later, someone could have been seriously hurt.
“This has frightened many children and we want to make sure an accident like this never happens again.
“Children use the area outside our school every day. Cars can come around the corner quickly and it is sometimes hard for drivers to see us because we are small. The new play park beside the school is also very busy, with lots of younger children, parents and grandparents using the footpath between the school and the road.
“This makes the area even more dangerous if cars are travelling too fast.
“As a School Council, our job is to share the views of all pupils in our school. After speaking to our classes, we agreed to create a petition asking for better road safety and nearly every child signed it. This shows how strongly we all feel about this issue and how important it is for us to feel safe at our own school.”
The children were requesting support for a 20mph part-time speed limit to be put in place, during school start and finish times, adding clearer signs around the entrance and the play park, and considering extra safety or traffic calming measures to slow vehicles down.
The letter added: “We want to feel safe walking into school every morning and leaving every afternoon. We hope that by writing this letter and sharing our petition you will understand how worried we are and how much this matters to us.”
ABC Council had agreed to back the pupils’ cause, with DUP Councillor Kyle Moutray thanking them for contacting council and praising them for their “proactive step”.
He said it was “lucky” nobody had been hurt in the accident outside school at the start of February but it “has left children and parents and staff members feeling very vulnerable”.
Councillor Moutray proposed council write to DfI and asked them to “seriously consider” the actions requested.
They did just that, but DfI Roads has now responded and it is not good news for the children.
Cindy Noble, acting divisional roads manger, said roads safety was a “high priority” and the Department but “committed to working proactively to make our roads safer and to address the needs of all road users”.
However, she added: “The Department receives many requests for the introduction of road safety measures and would very much like to be in a position to fulfil all valid requests. Regrettably, however, the Department, must prioritise works so that funding is directed to those areas assessed as being in greatest need of such measures.
“I am saddened to learn of the accident that occurred outside the primary school in Portadown, and I wish to extend my sincere hopes that all those involved make a full and swift recovery.
“The PSNI are responsible for investigating road traffic collisions and once the findings are shared with the Department, my officials will carefully consider if any action can be taken through the introduction of engineering measures to enhance road safety.
“The introduction of part-time 20mph zones at schools across the North is a significant intervention that has helped to ensure that children, parents and staff feel safer as they travel to and from school on a daily basis.
“The Department were therefore pleased to confirm that an additional 40 schools will benefit soon from this key road safety measure bringing the total delivered since 2020/21 to 273 schools. In this tranche there was a focus on rural schools that are located on roads where the national speed limit applies.
“Unfortunately the Birches Primary School did not meet the criteria as it is already located on a road which has a 40mph speed limit in place.”
She said officials would carry out a review of the existing signage and road markings to ensure they are appropriate for the area.
And she added: “I am advised that Clonmakate Road would not be suitable for traffic calming humps as these are ordinarily restricted to residential streets / developments / estates and not used on roads whose primary function is to facilitate through traffic.
“We are, however, very much aware that road safety would benefit from a reduction in the speed limit and the Minister launched a public consultation on a number of speed-related matters, which closed on 22nd April 2026.
“The consultation sought views on the wider use of permanent 20mph speed limits which include schools and the lowering of national speed limits on rural single and dual carriageways.
“Officials will now analyse the responses received to the consultation which will shape future policy regarding speed limits, including outside schools.”
