Please sign our petition if you feel that the Saintfield Road from Carryduff to Knockbracken Road is:  * TOO FAST * * UNSAFE * * TOO NARROW RELATIVE TO SPEED OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD * *UNPLEASANT TO WALK ALONG*      *NEEDS MORE RIGHT HAND TURNING LANES FOR SAFER ACCESS TO HOUSING, BUSINESSES AND SERVICES* *NEEDS MORE SAFE CROSSING POINTS ALONG ITS ROUTE*

Background to Petition:

Carryduff Regeneration Forum aims to help bring the heart back into Carryduff through the creation of an inclusive and regenerated area with a greater sense of community.  The purpose of the Forum is to help facilitate the regeneration of Carryduff by influencing decision makers to provide improved facilities and services for the benefit of those who live in the area and to be an effective, influential, inclusive and credible voice for the people of Carryduff.  The group is working hard on behalf of the community to achieve this purpose.

Concerns over traffic and road safety have been a recurring theme raised at both committee and public meetings over the last number of years.  In 2017 the Forum took the decision to actively focus on this issue and set up a dedicated Roads Safety sub-committee who prepared an initial report highlighting key traffic-related problems and impediments to safe pedestrian movement within the town. 

The report highlighted the recent levels of private and commercial development in Carryduff, now perceived to be disproportionate to the environmental infrastructure, and the resultant issues relating to traffic flow, speed, congestion, pedestrian movement and the public health impact in general.  A process of engagement was proposed between local and transport authorities as a constructive partnership approach to managing traffic volume and reducing stress /distress on the Carryduff community.  The group felt that a proactive, rather than reactive approach to traffic management should be explored, focusing on driver behaviour through the town.

In advance of any proposed engagement CRF endeavoured to gather further evidence of local opinion regarding traffic congestion and volume, speed of traffic and pedestrian movement.  The group circulated a short questionnaire in the Focus magazine which was delivered to all homes in the Carryduff area.  This survey could be completed either in hard copy or online.  In total almost 1,000 people completed the survey with over 80% of respondents expressing significant concern with both the speed and safety of traffic through and around Carryduff, the current speed restrictions relative to the area and the monitoring and enforcement of those speed restrictions.

A letter highlighting traffic and roads safety concerns was sent to the Department for Infrastructure (TransportNI) and this resulted in a meeting with DfI/Transport NI and representatives from the PSNI in October 2017.  In addition, CRF representatives were also invited to attend a further high-level meeting with DfI representatives including Peter May, Permanent Secretary, and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council to review transport strategies for the South Castlereagh area.

As a result of these meetings it was agreed that a review of a number of roads safety issues highlighted by CRF, including an analysis of appropriate speeds on the main Saintfield Road, would be carried out by TransportNI.  A follow-up meeting to discuss findings was held in August 2018.  Emma Little Pengelly (MP) and a number of local councillors attended in support of CRF.

The follow-up meeting focused on the speed of traffic on the Saintfield Road and information gathered by TransportNI had been used to re-calculate the design speeds along the Saintfield Road.  Along with references to standard guidance documents, the information was presented to those in attendance as a means of reinforcing the status quo with the conclusion being that, for the most part, the current speed limit on the Saintfield Road is an accurate reflection of the recommendations contained within the guidelines. 

However, a number of concerns were highlighted by those present and the Carryduff Regeneration Forum are now calling for The Department for Infrastructure (TransportNI) to further review the speed limit on the Saintfield Road with consideration of the following:

-  Appropriate road designation taking account of current traffic volume and recent development leading to an increase in local journeys by car and pedestrian activity;
-  Number of branch roads and entrances/exits along the road;
-  Frequency of right-hand-turns in the current 50mph zone;
-  Lack of safe crossing points (no safe crossing points from the Mealough Road junction to the Spar on the Ballynhinach Road);
-  Up-to-date road traffic accident information;
-  Acknowledgement that national policy guidelines are recommendations which should be interpreted within context - critically the context of community needs.

Carryduff Regeneration Forum believe that a significant proportion of local residents and regular users of the Saintfield Road (from Knockbracken Road to the Carryduff Roundabout) wish to see the speed limit on this road significantly reduced. 

Therefore, if you are a local resident or regular user of this road please sign our petition requesting that TransportNI reduce the speed limit on the Saintfield Road from 50mph to 40mph, from Knockbracken Road to the Carryduff Roundabout, and extend the 30mph accordingly on the approach to the town.

PLEASE SIGN if you feel that the Saintfield Road from Carryduff to Knockbracken Road is: 

* TOO FAST * * UNSAFE * * TOO NARROW RELATIVE TO SPEED OF TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD * *UNPLEASANT TO WALK ALONG* *NEEDS MORE RIGHT HAND TURNING LANES FOR SAFER ACCESS TO HOUSING, BUSINESSES AND SERVICES* *NEEDS MORE SAFE CROSSING POINTS ALONG ITS ROUTE*