Speaking ahead of tonight’s meeting between Roads Service and Ballymoney Borough Council, the Minister said: “It is proposed to realign the bend on the B147 Kirk Road, east of Bellisle Road, to improve forward sight distance and increase the visibility sight lines on the Bellisle Road / Kirk Road junction.
"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.
“The Strategic Road Improvement Programme envisages an investment of £1.4billion in the period up to 2015. Around £1billion of these schemes have already been identified and a consultation on a further £400million of schemes was completed at the end of 2006. In addition, the National Development Plan 2007-2013, contains proposals on the inter-urban routes linking the main population centres of Dublin, Belfast and the North West.”
Road Service’s Divisional Roads Manager, Jim Beattie welcomed the continued high level of investment in local transport and safety measures in the Ballymoney Borough Council area, which includes traffic calming, collision remedial, pedestrian measures, cycling measures and Safer Routes to Schools.
Other schemes which will be taken forward in the Ballymoney Borough Council area include the realignment of the Townhill Road at its junction with the Tamlaght Road, to improve the visibility sight lines for traffic emerging from Tamlaght Road on to Townhill Road, and the construction of a combined cycle path/footway along the town side of the Ballymoney Bypass from Kirk Road to Semicock Road.
Mr Beattie said: “It is also 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. It is however noted the Assembly has decided to review this decision.
“Despite these challenges, Roads Service will continue to concentrate on scheme delivery in the Ballymoney Borough 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.’’
Mr Beattie also took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes already completed in 2006/07. These included a footway on the southern side of the B66 Bann Road, Bendooragh, linking the village and the community facilities; an extension of the footway on the C86 Lough Road, Loughguile, from the village out to the playing fields; school warning signs incorporating flashing amber lights at Garryduff and Kilmoyle Primary Schools and substantial lengths of asphalt resurfacing at B16 Kilraghts Road Ballymoney, B62 Craig’s Road Rasharkin, B64 Bann Road Rasharkin, B70 Ballymaconnelly Road Rasharkin and B66 Castlecatt Road Dervock.
Notes to Editors:
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