The Northern Ireland Road Network and Condition Statistics 2022-23 report has been published today

This report presents statistics on road length, condition and expenditure in Northern Ireland for 2019/20 to 2022/23. This is a new official statistics report produced by the Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) of the Department for Infrastructure.

The publication is available on the DfI website at: Northern Ireland Road Network and Condition Statistics 2022-23

Key points:

Road Length

• At 1 April 2023, the total road length in Northern Ireland was 25,858 kilometres.
• Unclassified roads accounted for the largest proportion of all roads (61.1%) followed by C roads (18.3%), B roads (11.3%), A roads (8.9%) and Motorways (0.4%).
• Analysis of the urban / rural split of the road network reveals that 77.2% of carriageway road lengths were rural (speed limit of more than 40 mph) and 22.8% of carriageway road lengths were urban (speed limit of 40 mph or less).

Road Condition

• In 2022-23, 82.6% of A class roads in Northern Ireland were categorised as being in generally good condition according to the Surface Condition Assessment for the National Network of Roads (SCANNER) survey. Two percent of A class roads were in poor condition requiring further investigation.
• In 2022-23, the Deflectograph survey found that 93.8% of the combined motorway and Trunk Road Network had a residual life of more than five years remaining in the sub structure of the road i.e. the base of the road and not the surface of the road.
• In 2022-23, there were 100,487 surface defects instructed following inspections on the roads in Northern Ireland
• In 2022-23, there were 84,900 surface defects repaired.

Road Expenditure

• In 2022-23, the total expenditure on the roads in Northern Ireland was £441 million, 7.5% lower than in the previous year (£477 million in 2021-22).
• Of the total expenditure on roads in 2022-23, £127 million was spent on Structural Maintenance; this included £111 million on capital expenditure and £16 million spent on resource. A further £66 million was spent on New Construction and Improvement.

Notes to editors: 

1. This is a new official statistics report on Road Network and Condition in Northern Ireland, and it will be published annually by Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB).
2. The statistical report was published alongside a Background Quality Report, a Quality Assurance of Administrative Data Report and a Technical Report; these provide detailed information on the quality of the data and the sources used to produce the statistics.
3. The statistical report has been produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics, complying with the pillars of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value. You can find further information about the Code of Practice.
4. For more information relating to this publication, including additional analysis, breakdowns of data, or alternative formats please contact:

• Telephone:  (028) 9054 0390(Text relay prefix 18001)
• E-mail: asrb@nisra.gov.uk.
• Website: DfI Statistics and Research.
  
  ASRB advise customers to make contact through email or by telephone at this time.

5. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk.
6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
7. Follow the Department on Twitter/X @deptinfra on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure and on LinkedIn at DfILinkedIn.

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