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6 June 2006

ROADS SERVICE INVEST OVER £3 MILLION IN COLERAINE

Capital and maintenance investment totalling £3,258,500 million is planned for Coleraine Borough Council area this year.

Speaking to Coleraine Borough Council, Principal Engineer Uel Wilson said: "The schemes which will be taken forward include:

  • A vertical realignment scheme on Ballywillan Road, Portrush between the 30-mph limits and Ballywillan Cemetery, incorporating verge provision, a footway in the western verge and resurfacing of the entire carriageway at a total cost of £200,000;

  • An infill footway on Carhill Road just south of Garvagh at a cost of £15,000;

  • Construction of a £40,000 cycle-path on Rugby Avenue to connect the existing cycle-paths on Mountsandel Road and Lodge Road Roundabout;

  • Installation of a safety barrier on Curragh Road at Loughan Island where the carriageway runs adjacent to the river Bann at a cost of £8,000.

In the last three years a total of some £735 million has been spent on developing and maintaining the road network in Northern Ireland - some £495 million on revenue activities including maintenance with a further some £240 million on capital. Over the next ten years the draft Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI) envisages that some £1.9 billion will be invested in road building subject to the availability of resources in future budget rounds, economic appraisal and statutory approvals. Some £166 million has also been allocated to Roads Structural Maintenance in the three years to 2007/08. When assessing figures for any year it is important to see these figures over a cycle. Safety is always and will remain the top priority.

Mr Wilson said that in the Coleraine area the spend on defect repairs, street lighting, grass cutting, winter service and other safety related activities would be maintained at present levels.

Councillors were reminded of the decision, following the Review of Public Administration, that the responsibility for the maintenance, management and development of local roads will transfer to the seven new local authorities in Spring 2009. The local road network consists of all roads except motorways and trunk roads and comprises about 23,700 km of the 25,000 km of public roads throughout Northern Ireland.

"Roads Service is currently assessing the implications of this decision and identifying how it can help to facilitate the smooth transfer of local roads responsibilities. The associated financial, staff and other resource consequences will require careful consideration," he said.

Mr Wilson informed the Council that the Department for Regional Development will be taking over the current PSNI responsibilities for parking enforcement this Autumn.

Mr Wilson also took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes completed in 2005/06:

  • A series of schemes have been completed on the Windyhill Road between Sconce Road and Ballystrone Road involving carriageway widening, verge provision, resurfacing and minor vertical / horizontal realignment at as total cost of £450,000;

  • The bend on the Glenkeen Road just east of the junction with the Agivey Road has been eased and the forward sight distance improved, at a cost of £120,000;

  • Strand Road Roundabout has had collision remedial measures introduced including widening of all approaches to three lanes, reforming the central island and marking the circulatory carriageway with spiral markings at a total cost of £195,000;

  • Two mini-roundabouts have been introduced on Ballycastle Road at the junctions with Newmills Road and Ballyarton Road, at a cost of £60,000;

  • Substantial lengths of carriageway resurfacing have been completed at A29 Ring Road on Sandelford Bridge, A54 Glenkeen Road, B201 Windyhill Road, C535 Gateside Road and C357 Castleroe Road.

Media queries to: Paddy Cullen or Emma Flynn Davies, Department for Regional Development, Press Office, Tel: 028 9054 0007

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