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Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has asked the roads minister – how many more people have to die on the Frosses Road before work begins to make the region safer for the public?
Assemblyman Dr Coulter made his appeal after 61-year-old Lottie Lawrence from the Ballymoney area died on the Frosses Road at the weekend. She became the 39th person to be killed on Ulster’s roads this year.
Dr Coulter said: “I extend my sympathies to the Lawrence family circle in this time of tragedy. I call upon the community to remember the family circle in their thoughts and prayers.
“However, this is a time for action, not words concerning the Frosses Road, which clearly has now become one of Northern Ireland’s worst accident blackspots, if not the most lethal piece of road in Ulster.
“Since devolution was restored to the Executive last May, I know there has been much discussion about the project to dual this deadly road. It is now clear this project must become one of the utmost urgency.
“How many more people have to die before the green light is finally given to this Frosses Road project? At the very least, in the short term, the minister needs to ensure that warning signs about the Frosses Road death spot are erected as soon as possible.
“I appeal to all people, whether they be North Antrim constituents using this road, or visitors travelling through the region, to exercise all possible care when on the Frosess Road,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.

Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has called on the Environment Minister to introduce compulsory electronic tagging of dangerous wild animals after it emerged more than a quarter of all licences for such animals in Northern Ireland are held in the constituency.
Speaking during ministers’ question time in the Assembly, Rev Dr Coulter asked the minister to confirm the frequency with which owners of dangerous wild animals are obliged to renew their licences to own such animals and that these licences permit the owners to keep the animals at one address only.
Earlier, the minister had written to Rev Dr Coulter informing him that of the 16 dangerous wild animal licences in Northern Ireland, five were in the North Antrim region – three held in Ballymena Borough and two in the neighbouring Ballymoney Borough.
Dr Coulter added: “The desirable situation would be for every wild animal in private ownership to be electronically tagged to ensure that enforcement of the licencing provisions is made more effective.
“The minister informed me that a licence to keep dangerous wild animals was valid for one year from the date of issue and that licence-holders must reapply to the department for a licence before the expiry of their existing licence.
“She also said a veterinary inspection will then be carried out and a recommendation made to the department as to whether a lience should be granted for a further year. Each licence is issued to the applicant and is specific to the premises detailed in the application.
“She also told me that as well as the annual application for the licence and the annual inspection, vets can be called to inspect the animals if the department believed there was a reason to do so.
“While she naturally defended the current way in which the licence-holders are monitored to be effective, I would call on the minister to reconsider this position and introduce the process of electronic tagging.
“Where such dangerous wild animals are concerned, it is not just a question of their well-being which is at stake, but also the safety of the general public,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.

Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has welcomed the latest moves by Translink to enhance the rail service between Ballymena and Coleraine on the Londonderry line.
Assemblyman Dr Coulter said this would be an “invaluable link between the two great constituencies of North Antrim and East Londonderry ”.
He added: “I warmly welcome Translink’s announcement that 1,500 tonnes of new rail has been delivered to Coleraine to form part of the extension project between Ballymena and Coleraine which was provided for under the recently approved Stormont Executive budget.
“I hope it will not be too long before the planned works get underway later this year, following what Translink announced was a competitive tendering process starting in May.
“I am also pleased by Translink comments that work is progressing well on the repair of what it terms ‘wet spots – areas of weakening in the stone supporting the track – between Ballymena and Coleraine.
“Translink has said this new rail will be used to enable the removal of the track joints between Ballymena and Coleraine as well as the replacement of five miles of track between Ballymena and Coleraine as part of the overall engineering works planned for autumn 2008 to late summer 2009.
“I am especially pleased by the Translink announcement that this immediate engineering work is expected to be completed later this summer.
“Once completed, the project will not only boost the comfort in which the passengers travel, but will greatly assist with developing the growing tourist trade in our constituency as well as expand the East West travel links in Northern Ireland,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.