MEA Roads Update: Frontline services prioritised but “limited service policy” for routine maintenance

Mid and East Antrim councillors were presented with Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Roads Northern Division’s annual report, at a meeting of the borough council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee, last week.

Alan Keys, divisional manager, warned the budget allocated to the Department for 2024/25 was “challenging”.

“However, we continue to prioritise essential front-line services and address regional imbalance,” he stated.

“This means that the Department will continue with a limited service policy for routine maintenance activities such as defect-repair, grass-cutting and gully-emptying.

“The Department will aim to cut all roadside verges and sight-line grass at least twice between April and October on the more heavily trafficked roads and once a year on other roads.

“This aims to balance the need for road safety while protecting our environment and encouraging biodiversity. However, sight-lines at bends and junctions will be cut as frequently as required to ensure public safety.”

He indicated the opening capital budget for structural maintenance of the road network in Northern Ireland is £89m which will enable the delivery of the “highest priority resurfacing, roadside stability and drainage projects”.

He noted that for many years, the Department has operated within a “constrained resource budget” and has “continued to prioritise key essential services”.

A report to the committee stated resurfacing is planned during this financial year on 1.9 km section of trunk road at the M2 Ballymena bypass at a cost of £1m.

The remaining road network in the borough will see resurfacing at Linn Road, Lower Cairncastle Road and Waterfall Road in Larne, nine locations in the Ballymena area including Henry Street and Gilmore Street  at a cost of £1.7m, over a total distance of 5.2km but none in Carrickfergus.

Surface dressing will be provided at six rural locations in Carrickfergus, six outside Larne, four in Cargin, two in Martinstown and four in Broughshane, over a total distance of 61 km, at a cost of £900k.

Footpath resurfacing is planned at Donegal estate in Whitehead, Croft estate in Carnlough, Greenfield Walk, Carrickfergus and Sunningdale Park, Ballymena.

During the last financial year, the sum of £5.25m was spent on road resurfacing at 36 locations in the council area covering an overall distance of 20.75km.

These included Circular Road Roundabout and Narrow Gauge Road, Curran Road, Portland Road, Glynn Road, Ballycraigy Road and Ballyhampton Road in Larne; Craigowen Road, Rathmoyle Park and Rathmoyle Park West in Carrickfergus and Larne Road Roundabout, Ballymoney Road, Fenaghy Road, Circular Road and North Street, Ballymena, amongst others.

Surface dressing was carried out over 56 kilometres at a cost of £847k at four locations in Islandmagee; Munie Road, Glenarm; 11 in Ballymena, seven in Larne and at Quay Lane, outside Carrickfergus.

Footpath resurfacing took place at Seacourt estate and Portland Road, Larne, Craigowen Road, Rathmoyle Park and Rathmoyle Park West, Carrickfergus.

During this financial year, an upgrade of traffic lights to LED is also planned across Mid and East Antrim.

Structural repairs to Larne’s Harbour Highway are proposed as well as pothole filling.

A full street lighting repair service will continue during 2024/25. DfI Roads maintains more than 290,000 street lights. Street lighting programmes are planned at Donegal Close/Crescent, Whitehead; Ballymoney Road, Springwell Street/Albert Place and Meadowvale in Ballymena; Coast Road, Glenarm and Larne Road, Dromore Road and Belfast Road, Carrickfergus.

A proposed new £1.5m park and ride facility for a site outside Larne remains at the design stage. A proposal is being progressed to provide 264 parking spaces at a site adjacent to Shanes Hill and Belfast Road subject to finance and planning approval.

The park and ride is aimed at providing a “safe off-road bus stop facility with designated parking provision”.

Speaking at the meeting, Carrick Castle DUP Alderman Billy Ashe MBE said that residents of Victoria Road, Victoria Rise and Prince William Way in Carrickfergus are “virtually prisoners in their houses during school times”.

“You have put down double yellow lines. I have been trying to get police to enforce that. We also have a graveyard. If there is a funeral, nothing moves,” he added.

Ald Ashe urged DfI Roads to “bring in something that lets traffic move.” Mr Keys replied: “Traffic section is aware of a lot of issues. It is something we are keeping under review.”

Coast Road DUP Councillor Angela Smyth asked for Killyglen Link in the Lindara area of Larne to be included in road gritting in the town. Mr Keys noted it has been “reviewed recently”.

He also said the Kilwaughter depot outside Larne,  which provided gritting, will “not be utilised” but the service locally will “remain unaffected”.