29 June 2006
ROADS SERVICE INVEST OVER £4.5 MILLION IN LONDONDERRY
Capital and maintenance investment totalling £4,654,000 is planned for Derry City Council area in the year ahead.
Speaking to Derry City Council, Divisional Roads Manager, Jim Beattie said: "The schemes which will be taken forward include:
- Completion of the variable message signs required for the Bridge Management System for Foyle Bridge at a cost of £500,000;
- Glendermott Road has recently been widened to four lanes between Dales Corner and Rossdowney Roundabout. A right turning lane has also been provided and Rossdowney Roundabout has been converted to a signalised junction with a pedestrian crossing phase, at a total cost of £640,000;
- The realignment of the junction of the Mullennan Road on to the Letterkenny Road. This scheme, which will cost in the region of £200,000 will commence late in the fiscal year;
- Improvement to the visibility sight splays of the Kilnappy Road and Carmoney Road at a cost of £50,000;
- As part of the Safer Route to Schools initiative School Safety Zones will be introduced at St.Patrick's Pennyburn, Glendermott Primary, St. John's Primary, St. Cecilia's College and Bligh's Lane Nursery at a total cost of £60,000;
- Provision of controlled crossing facilities on Crescent Link at the Retail Park roundabout and Knightsbridge at a total cost £40,000."
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 10 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 Beattie said that in the Londonderry 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 that, following the Review of Public Administration, 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 Beattie informed the Council that the Department for Regional Development takes over the current PSNI responsibilities for parking enforcement this Autumn.
He also took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes completed in 2005/06:
- Woodside Road has been widened to a uniform 6.0m width between Newbuildings and Derry at a cost of £360,000;
- Right-turning lanes have been provided at the junctions of the A6 Foreglen Road and Gortilea Road at a cost of £100,000;
- The first phase of variable message signs have been erected on the immediate approaches to Foyle Bridge at a cost of £300,000;
- The second phase of an extensive programme of traffic-calming measures has been introduced in the Galliagh area at a cost of £75,000;
- Substantial lengths of carriageway resurfacing have been completed at A2 Limavady Road, A2 Culmore Road, B118 Tamnaherin Road and C503 Ardlough Road.
Media queries to: Paddy Cullen or Emma Flynn Davies, Department for Regional Development, Press Office, Tel: 028 9054 0007.
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