Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Infrastructure how many roads require (i) resurfacing; and (ii) partial resurfacing in Mid Ulster.
Minister for Infrastructure: Resurfacing schemes are funded through my Department’s Structural Maintenance Programme; regrettably, for some time the available investment has not kept pace with what is needed to maintain all of our roads in a reasonable condition.
While there are many roads that would benefit from investment, due to limited budget resources, resurfacing work is taken forward through the prioritisation of those deemed most in need for intervention. I am very aware of the long-term underfunding from which our road network has suffered.
Therefore, I have recently announced the immediate investment of an additional £1m in road maintenance to begin to address the growing backlog of pothole repairs. This much needed funding will be used between now and the end of the financial year to target areas of particular need with small scale resurfacing schemes designed to repair areas that have suffered the most and where localised repairs are less effective.
I have also allocated over £8m of additional funding to structural maintenance to allow further large scale resurfacing schemes to be delivered. This represents a significant investment in improving the structural integrity of our road network.
The 2023/24 resurfacing programme for the Mid Ulster District Council area was presented to Council members and can be found at https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/articles/mid-ulster-district-council-report-2023
The resurfacing programme along with other programmes for 2024/25 will be prepared when budgets are confirmed and will be presented to Council in due course.
The importance of a well maintained road network cannot be understated but this requires investment. I will continue to seek the support of Executive colleagues to enable this to happen.
ENDS
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