To ask the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on the roll-out of the 20 miles per hour speed limit outside schools.

Ms Kimmins

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 8 and 9 together. St Mary's Primary School in Killesher is certainly the type of school that would benefit from a further roll-out of the part-time zones at schools programme, which has been very well received. Since 2020-21, my Department has delivered two tranches of the 20 mph speed limit at 216 schools. The total is now 233 schools. As I said, a review of the recent initiative was very positive and can be viewed on my Department's website. The review recommends the provision of a third tranche of part-time 20 mph speed limits at schools. However, that will be more modest in size and is dependent on the availability of funding. The report also concludes that a more targeted approach is needed to ensure that the correct safety intervention is selected, and work to update our policy document is under way. I have asked officials to prepare the programme of schools to be targeted in the next financial year, based on the existing scored listing, but with preference given to rural schools that are located on roads where the national speed limit applies, and consideration of the safety of introducing such measures. St Mary's Primary School in Killesher will, subject to the school's meeting the threshold for inclusion, be considered as part of that work.

Ms Murphy

I thank the Minister for prioritising rural schools in all our constituencies. What are her plans to address speeding in general?

Ms Kimmins

I would like to see what can be done to improve attitudes to speeding, not only for road safety purposes but to make places cleaner and greener. I have therefore asked officials to prepare a paper on the use of permanent 20 mph speed limits, particularly, as I said, near schools, in predominantly residential areas and in places such as town centres where a high number of people walk, wheel or cycle. I have also asked that consideration be given to the national speed limits that apply on rural roads and HGV speed limits. To ensure that others' views are considered in the setting of speed limits here, I plan to hold a public consultation exercise on the issue later this year.

Ms Kimmins

I thank the Member for the question. Given the severity of those issues, all of that will have to be considered and prioritised in the round. We will publish more information as it becomes available and we look at what the permanent scheme might look like. I am happy to take the point on board, if officials have not already done so.

Mr K Buchanan

Following the recent accident near Castledawson, when Caitlin-Rose McMullan tragically lost her life, what are the Minister's thoughts on changing the law to stop vehicles overtaking stopped or parked buses that are letting children on or off?

Ms Kimmins

I thank the Member for raising that. It is important to send my thoughts to Caitlin-Rose's family, her friends and the entire school community in that area. It was a very tragic incident. I have two small children, and it impacted on me and on all of us. It is an important issue, and I have looked at what has been done elsewhere in relation to overtaking buses when children are entering and exiting them and how we can improve safety in those areas. I have spoken to my officials and asked them to look at the options, because it is a critical issue and particularly pertinent, given what happened recently.

Ms D Armstrong

I thank the Minister for considering rural roads in the forthcoming scheme, if it is implemented. Minister, there have been a number of reported near misses at Fivemiletown Primary School and Nursery. Will the Minister advise how much weight is given to schools that are located on A roads?

Ms Kimmins

As I said, the Department is working on the application and the criteria. The existing scoring will be kept for the latest tranche, but, where specific issues have arisen, that needs to be strongly considered. I am happy for officials to meet the Member, if they have not already done so, to look at that specific case.