Portglenone and Dunloy schools included in latest 20mph road safety roll-out
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins is pictured at Dromintee Primary School with Ailish McNaughton and pupils from the School Council.
Thursday 22 October 2026
Two primary schools in the Ballymena area are among 34 schools across Northern Ireland set to benefit from new part-time 20mph speed limits aimed at protecting children travelling to and from school.
Knockahollet Primary School, on Knockahollet Road near Dunloy, and St John Bosco Primary School, on Culbane Road in the Portglenone area, have both been included in the latest phase of the Department for Infrastructure’s school road safety programme.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins confirmed the latest roll-out, which will introduce reduced speed limits on rural roads where the national speed limit currently applies and traffic generally travels at higher speeds.
Safer journeys for Ballymena area pupils
The new measures will apply to roads outside the following local schools:
• Knockahollet Primary School – 79 Knockahollet Road, Dunloy, Ballymena, BT44 9BA.
• St John Bosco Primary School – 5 Culbane Road, Ballynease, Portglenone, Ballymena, BT44 8NZ.
The part-time restrictions are designed to slow vehicles during the busiest periods of the school day, particularly when children are arriving in the morning and leaving in the afternoon.
Unlike permanent 20mph limits, the restrictions will operate at designated times rather than throughout the day. The Department has not specified individual installation dates or operating hours for the schools in its announcement.
More than 300 schools included since 2020
The latest announcement represents the fourth phase of the initiative, bringing the total number of schools included in the programme since 2020/21 to 307.
Last year, 40 rural schools were selected for similar measures. The Minister said the majority of those schemes are now operational, with the remaining installations expected to be completed shortly.
Speaking during a visit to Dromintee Primary School, which is also included in the latest roll-out, Ms Kimmins said:
“Children and young people are amongst the most vulnerable groups using our roads and I remain committed to doing what I can to improve their safety.
“Once again these 34 schools identified will be located on rural roads where the national speed limit applies and traffic is generally faster.”
The Minister stressed the importance of protecting pupils regardless of how they travel to school.
“Children, parents and staff have a fundamental right to feel safe as they travel to and from school whether they are walking, wheeling, cycling, driving or taking public transport. The introduction of the part-time speed limits helps slow traffic down at the start and end of the school day as pupils arrive and leave to go home.”
Further changes to school road safety under consideration
The Minister also confirmed that the Department is considering wider changes to speed limits, including the possibility of permanent 20mph restrictions outside schools in urban and residential areas.
A public consultation on the review of speed limits took place earlier this year, with the findings now expected to inform the next stage of the review and the development of future proposals.
Ms Kimmins said:
"Whilst focus is aimed on higher speed roads where the national speed limit applies, I am equally aware that there are schools in urban and residential areas which would also benefit from a reduction in speed limits.
"Earlier this year, I held a public consultation on a review of speed limits. Included within this review, was an option for permanent 20mph speed limits outside schools in more urban and residential areas."
Proposed ban on overtaking stopped school buses
Another potential road safety measure would prohibit drivers from overtaking a stationary bus on a single-carriageway road with a 60mph speed limit.
The Minister has brought forward a proposal for Executive consideration seeking agreement to introduce the necessary legislation.
The proposed change is intended to reduce the risk to children getting on and off buses, particularly on rural roads where vehicles may be travelling at higher speeds.
The proposal has not yet become law and would require further approval before any new restriction could take effect.
Full list of schools and next steps
The latest programme covers 34 schools across Northern Ireland, including Gorran Primary School near Coleraine and Bunscoil Naomh Bríd in Maghera, alongside the two schools in the Ballymena area.
The full list of schools selected for the 2026/27 programme is available from the Department for Infrastructure here.
For families and motorists travelling past Knockahollet Primary School and St John Bosco Primary School, the announcement means reduced speed limits are planned at both locations, although the Department has yet to confirm when the schemes will become operational.
