Members of the Ards and North Down Borough Council received an update from the Department for Infrastructure regarding road maintenance and improvement works in the council area for the years 2023/24 and 2024/25.
During a meeting on Tuesday 8 October, Divisional Roads Manager Mr Mark McPeak addressed the council, stating:
“Northern Ireland’s road network is our largest and most valuable strategic infrastructure asset delivering every day for people to go about their daily lives. It is recognised that there is more to do to improve and protect our vital road network and the Department is maximising its resources to deliver positive engineering impacts.
"The Department’s 2024/25 budget allocation is challenging, however we will continue to prioritise essential frontline services. The opening Capital budget for structural maintenance is £89million which falls significantly short of our funding requirements to allow for the most effective delivery of our priority resurfacing projects, roadside stability, and drainage projects. The Department has operated within a constrained Resource budget for many years which has meant the continuation of a Limited Service policy for routine road maintenance activities such as defect repair, grass cutting, and gully emptying.”
Mr McPeak acknowledged the challenges posed by the 2024/25 budget but affirmed the Department's commitment to advancing local transport, safety schemes, and maintenance programs aimed at improving road safety.
Mr McPeak continued:
“Currently, a full street lighting repair service will remain in effect during 2024/25. We have also completed a series of street lighting upgrade schemes including in Newtownards Town Centre and Henderson Avenue in Conlig. Over the next year, in the Ards and North Down area, we plan to take forward works to provide central pedestrian islands on the Clandeboye Road in Bangor and the provision of new Puffin facilities at Bloomfield Road in Bangor.
"Recently, we completed a carriageway resurfacing scheme on the Comber Road/South Street, Newtownards and carriageway resurfacing and footway reconstruction on the Belfast Road, Comber. Surface dressing schemes completed during this summer across the borough, include the Cardy Road in Ballywalter, Windmill Road in Donaghadee, Scrabo Road in Newtownards and Lisbarnett Road in Killinchy. We are also planning to take forward nearly 1 kilometre of resurfacing on the A20 Portaferry Road from Newtownards.
“The Department is committed to investing in pedestrian and cycling measures to provide greater Active Travel choices particularly for shorter everyday journeys. The Department is developing a Northern Ireland wide Active Travel Delivery Plan that includes an update of our policies and design guidance for Active Travel as well as network plans for our larger towns and cities. We aim to consult the public on this plan later in 2024. In the meantime, we are continuing to deliver improved Active Travel schemes and have completed pedestrian measures at John Street in Newtownards and cycling measures by the widening of the existing Comber Greenway from three metres to four metres from the Ballyrainey Road to the end of the Comber Greenway at Old Belfast Road.”
In conclusion, Mr McPeak said:
“These projects the Department is delivering will bring significant benefits to both the local community and commuters in the Ards and North Down area.”
Notes to editors:
- All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hour’s service for media enquiries between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
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