DRD Minister Welcomes Increase In The Roads Budget

22 January 2007
DRD MINISTER WELCOMES INCREASE IN THE ROADS BUDGET
Regional Development Minister David Cairns has welcomed additional funds for roads maintenance.
Mr Cairns said: "With almost 15,000 miles of road network to maintain and develop, this is very good news for road users. The additional funding represents an overall increase of 23% for Roads Service's structural maintenance budget and will result in expenditure of around Ł65m in 2006/07.
"The additional Ł12m allocated at this time will be directed primarily towards the resurfacing of local roads and will permit the resurfacing of some additional 220 lane km of carriageway."
In making his announcement the Minister also referred to the Quarry Products Association Northern Ireland (QPANI), the voice of the quarrying industry, and expressed his thanks to them for the very constructive and helpful meetings that have taken place throughout the past year with both himself and officials from the Department for Regional Development and for the association's overarching commitment of ensuring that the additional allocations would be spent within this financial year.
The Minister added: "The additional funding will bring benefits right across the roads network throughout Northern Ireland and will make a much needed contribution in addressing the impact of many years of under-investment, as well as helping to meet the objectives set out in the Department's Regional Transportation Strategy."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. In July 2002, the Assembly adopted the underlying principles and strategic direction of the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS). The RTS envisaged certain levels of funding for the maintenance, development and improvement of the road network over the ten year period 2002-2012. Actual funding levels are set in annual budget rounds.
2. Structural maintenance includes: Resurfacing / Strengthening to give a strong, even, skid resistant surface; Surface dressing - seals the surface and restores friction; Patching - repairs localised defects; and Structural Drainage - protects foundations.
3. The RTS envisaged Ł78m a year on structural maintenance - that's around Ł86m at current prices. However, it was explained in the RTS that the level of public expenditure funding for the Strategy would be determined through the normal budgetary process, which will take account of the needs of other departments and decisions on priorities.
4. It has been independently established that a Structural Maintenance Funding Plan (SMFP) of approximately Ł97m per year (at 06/07 prices) is needed to maintain the structural integrity of the Northern Ireland road network at good practice levels.
5. In the three years to March 2005 a total of some Ł786 million has been spent on developing and maintaining the road network in Northern Ireland. Some Ł499 million has been invested in revenue activities, including maintenance, with a further Ł287 million on capital. In the three years to end March 2008 it is expected that around Ł194m will have been allocated to roads structural maintenance.

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