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12/02/2003
Smith calls on North/South links to reduce road deaths
During a speech delivered in Dublin last night, NIO Minister Angela Smith highlighted the need to forge greater cross-border links in reducing road deaths in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Mrs Smith was in Dublin to deliver the Jim Crowley Memorial Lecture in which she appealed to her audience of businessmen and transport professionals that serious moves must be made to reduce road deaths on the island of Ireland.
She said: "A fact that has shocked me more than any other since coming to Northern Ireland is that its drivers have one of the worst road safety records in Europe. Regrettably this is one of the transport problems we share – the carnage on our roads in both parts of the island is totally unacceptable."
The Minister said that the growth in travel demand and private car use was impacting on transport infrastructure, on the environment and the detrimental effects of transport pollution on peoples’ health and quality of life.
“The formulation of respective spatial strategies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland represents an important step forward for a more coherent, strategic and balanced approach to development throughout the island of Ireland. There are many issues of mutual concern between the strategies and it is clear we can learn from each other in tackling those issues,” she said.
She added that planning policies and programmes had a "critical role to play" in persuading drivers to leave their cars and use public transport.
On the government's recent road safety advertising campaign, Mrs Smith said they had been designed to "shock, to prompt pedestrians and drivers to pay more attention on the roads".
Once again, she called on drivers "to wise up, slow down and help stop this terrible carnage".
The Minister also pointed out that Northern Ireland’s Regional Development Strategy and the National Spatial Strategy for Ireland provided an important overarching strategic planning framework for the future development of both parts of the island.
Mrs Smith also met with the Irish Government Ministers for the Environment, Transport, and for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, to "discuss departmental issues of common concern".
(GMcG)
Mrs Smith was in Dublin to deliver the Jim Crowley Memorial Lecture in which she appealed to her audience of businessmen and transport professionals that serious moves must be made to reduce road deaths on the island of Ireland.
She said: "A fact that has shocked me more than any other since coming to Northern Ireland is that its drivers have one of the worst road safety records in Europe. Regrettably this is one of the transport problems we share – the carnage on our roads in both parts of the island is totally unacceptable."
The Minister said that the growth in travel demand and private car use was impacting on transport infrastructure, on the environment and the detrimental effects of transport pollution on peoples’ health and quality of life.
“The formulation of respective spatial strategies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland represents an important step forward for a more coherent, strategic and balanced approach to development throughout the island of Ireland. There are many issues of mutual concern between the strategies and it is clear we can learn from each other in tackling those issues,” she said.
She added that planning policies and programmes had a "critical role to play" in persuading drivers to leave their cars and use public transport.
On the government's recent road safety advertising campaign, Mrs Smith said they had been designed to "shock, to prompt pedestrians and drivers to pay more attention on the roads".
Once again, she called on drivers "to wise up, slow down and help stop this terrible carnage".
The Minister also pointed out that Northern Ireland’s Regional Development Strategy and the National Spatial Strategy for Ireland provided an important overarching strategic planning framework for the future development of both parts of the island.
Mrs Smith also met with the Irish Government Ministers for the Environment, Transport, and for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, to "discuss departmental issues of common concern".
(GMcG)
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