Roads Service Invest Over Ł4 Million In Ballymena

21 June 2006
ROADS SERVICE INVEST OVER Ł4 MILLION IN BALLYMENA
Capital and maintenance investment totalling Ł4,252,000 is planned for Ballymena area in the year ahead.
Speaking to Ballymena Borough Council, Principal Engineer Deidre Mackle, said: "The schemes which will be taken forward include:

The first stage of a footway on Dreen Road, Cullybackey, between Queens Park and the village at a cost of Ł50,000;

Completion of the Ł460,000 scheme to change the priorities at the junction of Woodtown Road / Old Cullybackey Road, Ballymena, including footway provision;

Further upgrading of Springwell Street multi-storey car park, including electrical and mechanical services, passenger lift at Ballymoney Street access and treatment of intermediate floors at a cost of Ł160,000; and

Installation of a Toucan crossing (facilitating both pedestrians and cyclists) on the A26 Larne Road link near Sainsburys at a cost of Ł30,000.

In the last three years a total of some Ł735 million has been spent on developing and maintaining the road network in Northern Ireland - some Ł495 million on revenue activities including maintenance with a further Ł240 million on capital. Over the next ten years the draft Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI) envisages that some Ł1.9 billion will be invested in road building subject to the availability of resources in future budget rounds, economic appraisal and statutory approvals. Some Ł166 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.
Ms Mackle said that in the Ballymena 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," she said.
Ms Mackle informed the Council that the Department for Regional Development will be taking over the current PSNI responsibilities for parking enforcement this Autumn.
She took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes completed in 2005/06:

230m of footway have been provided on the Fenaghy Road, Cullybackey, from the village to the pork factory, at a cost of Ł40,000;

Improvement to the visibility splays at the junctions of the Doury Road / Dernaveagh Road, Shellinghill Road / Ballywatermoy Road, Garvaghy Road / Ballyconnelly Road and Glenhugh Road / Ballyconnelly Road, at a total cost of Ł120,000;

Upgrading measures of the Springwell Street Multi-Storey Car Park including waterproofing of the top decks and provision of coloured surfacing at a total cost of Ł269,000; and

Substantial lengths of carriageway resurfacing have been completed at A36 Moorfields Road, A26 Crankill Road and A42 Carnlough Road.

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

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