Spate of road deaths illustrate need for Executive action, not talk

11.45.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 12th May 2007

Alliance Party Youth Affairs Spokesperson Ian James Parsley

Alliance Party Youth Affairs Spokesperson Ian James Parsley has demanded immediate action on road safety from the Environment and Regional Development Ministers after the latest spate of fatalities on Northern Ireland's roads.

The North Down Councillor stated: "Today alone sees four more families having to come to terms with lives suddenly needlessly ended. Fifty years from now we will look back on the number of road fatalities and view them as barbaric.

"Six years ago I wrote to the Department of the Environment outlining simple actions that could be taken to slash the road deaths toll. Under direct rule and the last Executive, precisely nothing was done. The new Ministers with responsibility must put that right immediately.

"The calls for safer roads structures, better driver education and more appropriate enforcement of the rules of the road have been made loud and clear. In one specific case, subsidies on young driver's insurance as advocated some time ago would have enabled a young man to drive a newer, safer car which could, it appears, have saved his life.

"I pass my most heartfelt condolences on to each of the families concerned, and like them I ask how much longer must the death toll go on like this before concrete action is taken?"

ENDS