Sugden calls for action on Windyhill Road safety concerns

East Londonderry MLA Claire Sugden has raised concerns about the Infrastructure Minister's response to road safety issues on Windyhill Road, Coleraine, following a series of collisions, the most recent of which tragically resulted in a fatality.

Ms Sugden has called for the Department to take a closer look at the safety of the road and consider what improvements could be made.

The Windyhill Road connects Coleraine to Limavady, and is a widely-used route between the two towns.

“I am disappointed by the Minister's response,” Ms Sugden said.

“Windyhill Road has been the scene of numerous collisions over the years, and the recent loss of life has understandably heightened concerns among those who use it regularly.

“This is a narrow, winding road with sharp bends, difficult entrances and exits, and stretches where trees and hedgerows restrict visibility. These are genuine safety concerns that deserve proper consideration.”

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins noted that the Windyhill Road is of a rural nature, and with no “consistent stretches of development” has been designated a national speed limit of 60mph.

“We consider that the current speed limit on the Windyhill Road remains appropriate at this time,” Ms Kimmins said.

“However, my Department has also taken forward a review on a number of speed related matters. The public consultation closed on 22 April 2026 and the final response report was published on 12 August 2026. The findings set out in this report will inform the next stage of the 2026 Speed Limit Review and its consideration of future speed management policy.”

The Minister stated that the public road network is inspected on a cyclical basis, with any defects that meet “intervention levels in accordance with current policy” that are identified through inspections or by the public, will be “taken forward for repair.”

“The Department appreciates that there are many roads within the Causeway Coast & Glens area, including the Windyhill Road, which would benefit from investment; however, due to limited budget resources, structural maintenance work is taken forward through the prioritisation of those deemed most in need for intervention.

“Details of the planned list of carriageway and footway resurfacing schemes for the 2026/27 financial year will be included within my Department’s Annual Report to the Council.”

The most recent road traffic collision along the road resulted in the death of an 85-year-old woman in September.

Ms Sugden said: “My thoughts remain with the family and everyone affected by the recent tragedy.

“While the circumstances of that collision remain under investigation, we cannot ignore the wider history of accidents on this road.

“This is not simply about reducing speed limits, but about understanding the risks and identifying what practical improvements could make the road safer.

“I want to see the Department take a more proactive approach, listen to local concerns and properly assess what action is needed.”

The latest road traffic collision statistics reported by the PSNI show that 55 people have lost their lives across Northern Ireland this year (statistics to be updated on Sunday?).

16 fatalities occurred on urban roads, while 37 occurred on rural roads.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough have recorded eight fatalities on the roads, higher than any other borough in the North Area Policing which includes Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ards and North Down, Lisburn & Castlereagh City, and Mid & East Antrim.