Parents at Ballydown Primary School in Banbridge, County Down, have called on the Department for Infrastructure to add crash barriers and lower speed limits on adjacent roads. The school sits at the junction of Lisnaree Road and Castlewellan Road. Both roads carry a 60mph speed limit. Castlewellan Road has a double-white line banning overtakes due to poor visibility.

Ingrid Graham, parent of two pupils, stated that high speeds and lack of parking force vehicles to stop on Castlewellan Road. She noted that other drivers attempt to overtake there despite restrictions. Graham said the playground lies close to the road. A crash barrier donated by a former pupil's parent was rejected by DfI for not meeting standards.

Nicola Stevenson, another parent with two children at the school, pointed to insufficient space for drop-off and pick-up traffic. She said walking to school is difficult because Castlewellan Road lacks a zebra crossing and has a narrow footpath. Stevenson mentioned a small school-ahead sign but no 20mph zones or slow-down signs.

Congestion worsens at drop-off and pick-up times due to a nearby church, nursery, and Game of Thrones Studio Tour, according to Stevenson. DfI officials acknowledged the congestion as a common issue at schools and said the minister plans a visit soon.

Brian Murphy, the school principal, said concerns about speeds date to the school's 2003 construction. He noted the topic arises annually at board of governors meetings.

DUP MP Carla Lockhart called for joint action by DfI and the Education Authority. She said prior DfI assessments on speed, traffic volume, and accidents did not qualify the site for changes. Lockhart stated they requested a reassessment and suggested site reconfiguration alongside speed reductions and barriers.