1 day Ago By Francois Vincent and Local Democracy Reporter
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. Tabled by Cllr Malachy Quinn (SDLP, Torrent DEA), it came just three weeks after Caitlin-Rose McMullan (11) was struck by a car after exiting her school bus near Castledawson. She sadly died from her injuries.
Caitlin-Rose was a first-year pupil at St. Pius X College in Magherafelt. The thrust of Cllr Quinn’s motion was around making it compulsory for cars to come to a complete halt when children are boarding school buses, or exiting them, as has long been the rule in North America.
Advertisement Advertisement Part of it was worded as follows: “This council resolves to call upon the NI Assembly to develop and pass legislation requiring vehicles to stop for school buses that are picking up or dropping off pupils, in line with best practices observed in other jurisdictions. “Write to all other local councils in Northern Ireland, urging them to support and pass similar motions. Write to the Minister for Infrastructure and the Minister of Education, highlighting the need for such legislation, and requesting that they prioritise this issue within the Executive.
“Undertake any additional measures within Mid-Ulster District’s remit — such as awareness campaigns or pilot schemes — aimed at strengthening school transport safety until statutory changes are in effect.” Presenting his notice of motion, Cllr Quinn stated: “Two weeks ago, our community was shaken by the tragic death of young Caitlin-Rose McMullan who was killed after getting off a bus. Advertisement Advertisement “Her family’s heartbreak reminds us exactly of why this issue matters.
Today’s motion is about preventing tragedies like this, because no family should ever face that pain. “Over the years, I’ve witnessed countless near misses on the roads all across Mid Ulster. Cars speeding past buses as children step onto or off the roads, because the driver couldn’t wait a few seconds.
“My own cousin was knocked down after stepping off the bus one morning. He was left with a broken leg and lasting memories of how close he had come to something far worse. “These dangers are not isolated, they happen every day.
Bus drivers regularly tell me of holding their breath as children step onto the roads, just inches away from speeding traffic. Advertisement Advertisement “Teachers, parents and local people all share similar stories. We cannot rely on luck alone to protect our children.
It’s clear we must do more than rely on driver patience. We must create clear, enforceable protections. “Other countries already do this.
In Canada and America the law is crystal clear, when the bus stops, traffic stops, no exceptions. In Germany, cars pass stopped buses at walking pace, a rule embedded in driver training. “Northern Ireland should adopt similar laws, and this motion is our call to Stormont to make that happen.
As a council, we can speak with a united voice, urging every council across Northern Ireland to join us. We must push our ministers and MLAs to act swiftly. Let’s not wait for another tragedy, let’s act together today.
” Seconding the motion, Cllr Denise Johnston (SDLP, Moyola DEA) stated: “On the morning of Wednesday, March 5, Caitlin-Rose McMullan left for school, never to return. Advertisement Advertisement “I’ve spoken to her mum Stella on several occasions since. Life for Stella and the rest of her family will never be the same again, there’s a deep dark void that can never be filled.
“Unfortunately, the circumstances surrounding her death are not unique. Stella has launched an online petition calling on the authorities to do more to prevent deaths such as this happening. Many Concerns “In the days that followed [this tragedy], I listened to many concerns from people frustrated by the absence of effective safety measures around school buses.
There is justifiable outrage and a tangible fear that Caitlin-Rose’s tragic death won’t be the last. “Each member in this chamber must become a champion for road safety in the light of this most recent tragedy on our roads. We must push our MLA colleagues to deliver meaningful and life-saving legislation by the end of this term.
Advertisement Advertisement “Let us remember Caitlin-Rose’s name. In her memory, let us jointly commit ourselves to creating a legacy to ensure that as far as we can, our children travel in safety to and from school.” Cllr Wilbert Buchanan ( DUP , Cookstown DEA) expressed support for the motion on behalf of his party: “Every person is stunned and saddened when we hear of a tragedy on our roads.
What the collision statistics do not represent is the immense pain and suffering for families and friends, whose loved ones left home expecting to come back. “We support calls to explore any practical measures to improve road safety, and the DUP, therefore, will be supporting the motion.” Cllr Seán McPeake (Sinn Féin, Carntogher DEA) said: “I fully support the ethos of the motion.
No later than today, we met representatives of Translink specifically on road safety issues relating to children disembarking off buses. Advertisement Advertisement “Some of the more straightforward changes that could be made [include] investigating more clear and colourful warning lights on the buses. “The bus lights warning at the back are a bright orange colour, and they probably don’t typify danger the way a red or a blue emergency flashing light does, so we put that to them and it did give them thought for consideration.
They’re going to take that back. “Consideration should be given to more educational awareness for children. In Mid Ulster, we were told that there’s already one bus fitted out for educational purposes.
It’s been used by TransLink around the schools, and we would ask for an increase in that, to make sure that all schools would avail of it. “We’ve asked for a meeting with the DfI Minister, Liz Kimmins, on these important matters, and we’re confident of getting that in the very near future.” Advertisement Advertisement Cllr McPeake subsequently clarified that he would be happy to meet the minister as part of a cross-party delegation.
Meanwhile, Cllr Nuala McLernon felt that more could have been done in the past to address this issue. The Sinn Féin representative for Torrent DEA commented: “My colleague Declan McAleer, MLA for West Tyrone, in 2020 actually raised the same very issue with the then Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, however unfortunately at that time nothing was progressed. “But I’m grateful that I’ve been able to have a conversation with the current Minister for Infrastructure, my colleague Liz Kimmins MLA.
She’s looking at what has been done elsewhere in relation to overtaking buses, when children are entering and exiting them, and how we can improve safety. She agrees that this is a critical issue, and one that is particularly pertinent given what has happened recently.” Advertisement Advertisement Cllr Dan Kerr (Independent, Torrent DEA) remarked that another pressing issue was to do away with illegal bus stops, unless they can be made safer through adequate design: “The installation of bus shelters is a process the council is heavily involved in.
“A few years back, I had asked for monthly reports to be brought to the Environment committee to try and accelerate the application process for bus shelters. “I also know a lot of unofficial bus stops exist. A few years back, the council, along with myself, TransLink and DfI, did some great work moving the Annagher bus stop to a different location, so buses could pull off the main road and on a public footway, so cars don’t have to wait for the children getting on and off the school [bus].
“I myself used this bus stop while a student up at Primate Dixon [PS]. I do remember a student at the school was hit crossing the road, due to this blind spot created by a car overtaking the bus, and the student walking out in front of the bus. Advertisement Advertisement "Thankfully, his injuries weren’t fatal, and like other councillors I’d like to pass on my personal condolences to Caitlin-Rose’s mum.
Maybe locally we can ask Translink to review bus stops for better child road safety.” Cllr Trevor Wilson (UUP, Cookstown DEA) echoed calls for a review of road safety measures around school buses, in line with international best practice: “In support of the motion I’ll start off by passing on my party’s sympathy to all those that have been killed on the road, but especially at this time the family of Caitlin-Rose. “On the back of this tragic death her mother has called for a review of the bus/road safety to try and prevent anything like this happening again.
My party is fully supportive of this call, and everything that can be done to protect our young people must be looked at. “We strongly support calls for the Department for Infrastructure and Translink to look at new policies that would protect school children, and other passengers as well, when getting on and off public transport. Advertisement Advertisement “There needs to be a full risk assessment carried out of all the official and unofficial bus stops, and a scoping exercise into best practice models elsewhere around the world, including measures like the stop arm system currently used in the USA.
“One of the things that we feel might help the situation is a social media campaign and TV advertising to highlight the issue, and raise driver/passenger awareness of the risks when boarding and disembarking a bus.” Cllr Clement Cuthbertson (DUP, Dungannon DEA) broadened the debate on road safety to include damaged 30mph road signs which have yet to be reinstated, and poor road markings around schools. He stated: “Let’s be clear, the DfI Minister is presiding over a Department that can’t even train staff to put up 30mph signage.
There’s two 30mph signs on the Tamnamore Road coming into Killyman which blew down in the storm in January, and there’s nobody trained in the maintenance department to put them back up.” Get the Northern Ireland World newsletter - sign up now Advertisement Advertisement When asked by the council Vice-Chair not to go off subject, the DUP representative insisted what he was saying was directly relevant: “I am talking about road safety, and it’s the same when it comes to road markings around schools. There’s no money, and yet the minister can divert £150,000 to additional signage at Grand Central Station.
” Welcoming the consensus around his notice of motion, Cllr Quinn acknowledged that steps could have been taken sooner to ensure children’s safety: “This was first debated back in the Assembly in 2002. That’s how long ago we could have had this fixed and it wasn’t done. “I’m not blaming anybody for that or any particular parties.
It’s just unfortunate. We had a solution in front of us and we didn’t take it. “This is an issue we can sort very easily.
We need to take the bull by the horns and get it sorted, to make sure that there are no more victims like Caitlin-Rose, and no more families going through what that family is going through. I want the minister and the Department to explore those issues, and come back quickly.” François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter National World encourages reader discussion on our stories.
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