Roads service to invest £161,000 in Moyle district

Regional Development Minister, Conor Murphy, announced that investment totalling £161,000 is planned for the Moyle District Council area this year.

Speaking ahead of this morning’s meeting between Roads Service and Moyle District Council, the Minister said: “It is proposed to realign the bend and erect a safety barrier on the A44 Magheramore Road at Carneatly, and the ‘S’ bend on the Kilns Road, Ballycastle is also to be realigned and a footway provided to connect to the Moyarget Road.

The Minister said: "Roads Service faces some very significant challenges over the next few years as it gears up to deliver a demanding programme of Strategic Road Improvements while planning to restructure in line with the outcome of the Review of Public Administration.

“The Strategic Road Improvement Programme envisages an investment of £1.4bn in the period up to 2015. Around £1bn of these schemes have already been identified and a consultation on a further £400m of schemes was completed at the end of 2006. In addition, the Republic of Ireland National Development Plan 2007-2013, contains proposals on the inter-urban routes linking the main population centres of Dublin, Belfast and the North West,’’ said Mr Murphy.

Road Service’s Principal Engineer, Malcolm Glover welcomed the continued high level of investment in local transport and safety measures in the Moyle District Council area, which includes traffic calming, collision remedial, pedestrian measures, cycling measures, Safe Routes to Schools and controlled pedestrian crossings.

Mr Glover said it is proposed that the Review of Public Administration will see responsibility for the maintenance and development of local roads, approximately 23,700km of the total 25,000km of public roads, transfer to the seven new Councils in May 2009.

“Despite these challenges, Roads Service will continue to concentrate on scheme delivery in Moyle District Council area. To minimise the disruption that will arise from our works we will also be making every effort to give motorists advance warning of roadworks through signage and information prior to works. There will be updated information on our website and radio traffic reports,’’ said Mr Glover

Mr Glover also took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes already completed in 2006/07. These included an infill footway in Ballyvoy to connect the Church, Shop/Filling Station and Barnish Primary School with the main housing areas, the extension of the footway on the Drones Road, Armoy from the crossroads at Main Street to the football/rugby pitches and the formalising and upgrading of the pedestrian link between the car park and Ann Street, Ballycastle.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies, Department for Regional Development, Press Office, Tel: 02890 540007