The Newry & Mourne area is to create its own Road Safety Committee and anyone with an interest in road safety is being invited to attend a meeting on Tuesday 2nd February (7pm to 9pm) to find out how to get involved.
The committee will be affiliated to the Road Safety Council of Northern Ireland and will work alongside the other six existing local groups.
Tony McKeown, Director of CRASH Services, who will host the meeting in their Newry office, said “The Road Safety Council have been looking to create more regional groups and we have been planning to create a Newry and Mourne group for some time. However I think it is really needed now considering the terrible tragedies that have occurred in this area over the last year and already this this year three more young people have lost their lives”.
“We held an initial meeting to see what interest there was to set up a local group and the response was very positive. There was great enthusiasm, expertise and diversity of experience at the meeting.
Many of the group had personal stories of losing close family members on the road. We had also representatives from the emergency services, driving instructors, schools, local motoring businesses, public representatives and sporting groups. This will be a voluntary committee open to anyone.
The official launch meeting will cover road safety issues in the local area, what activities the group should do, fundraising and expressions of interest to join the committee as an officer or volunteer member.
Tony added “There are a number of road safety issues that the group will need to address. For example, I am sure everyone will be concerned with recent PSNI figures. They show arrests for Drink driving in the Newry, Mourne and Down area were up 96% over the Christmas period versus the previous year. Drink driving is one of the major causes of serious collision and fatalities on the road.
The meeting will be held at CRASH Services, 27 St. Mary Street, Newry.
If you would like to attend or would like more information, please email tony@crashservices.com or call 028 30251840.
“