Speaking ahead of tonight’s meeting between Roads Service and Ballymena Borough Council, the Minister said: “It is proposed to extend the existing footway on Shellinghill Road, Cullybackey for 200 metres from Ambleside to the development limit and also to improve the visibility sight lines at the junction of the Casheltown Road and the Kilcurry Road.
"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 Ballymena 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 Ballymena Borough Council area this year include junction visibility sight line improvements at Ballynafie Road / Carmagrim Road and Largy Road / Gillistown Road, both of which are nearing completion, and the continuation of the upgrade of the town centre multi-storey car park.
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 Ballymena 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 changing the priority of the Woodtown Road / Old Cullybackey Road junction, improving the sight lines of the Knockan Road / Eglish Road, completion of the improvements to Springwell Street multi-storey car park and 2km of asphalt resurfacing on the A42 Carnlough Road.
Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies or Michaela Smyth, Department for Regional Development, Press Office, 02890 540887.
