Roads Service to Invest £2.3Million in Newtownabbey Borough

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy announced a £2.3million investment for the Newtownabbey Borough Council area this year.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s meeting between Roads Service and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the Minister said: "Schemes planned for the current financial year include: the second phase of carriageway widening and footway provision plus bridge and culvert replacement at Park Road, Mallusk; providing 700 metres of footway on the southerly approach to Ballyeaston village, continuing along the Lower Ballyboley Road; and a 100 metre extension of the M2 free flow lane off slip at Sandyknowes toward Scullions Road."

Mr Murphy welcomed the road maintenance schemes progressed in the Newtownabbey Borough Council area last year. He said this year's increased allocation for structural maintenance would allow a larger number of resurfacing schemes to proceed on local roads this financial year.

Road Service’s Deputy Divisional Roads Manager, Kevin Monaghan welcomed the planned investment in local transport and safety measures in the Newtownabbey Borough area. This includes traffic calming, collision remedial, pedestrian measures, cycling measures and safer routes to schools.

Schemes which will be taken forward in the Newtownabbey Borough area this year include traffic calming at Carnmoney Road North/The Glade and Merville Garden; upgrading pedestrian signals to a toucan crossing at Monkstown Road which will assist cyclists using Newtownabbey Way and further additions to the Safer Routes to School programme which will benefit Doagh Primary school and Thompson Primary school, Ballyrobert.

In addition to the schemes that will be delivered in 2009/10, Mr Monaghan drew attention to the development work that was being undertaken on strategic road improvement schemes in Eastern Division. He confirmed that the Statutory Notices for the A2 Shore Road at Greenisland were published on 1 October 2008. The final Statutory Notice, the Vesting Order will be completed when funding becomes available. Subject to the availability of finance it is anticipated that construction work could begin in 2010/11 and is likely to take up to two years to complete.

Roads Service has also been in consultation with local government representatives on matters arising from the Review of Public Administration. These included the details of functions to be transferred to local government in 2011 and the arrangements to allow the new councils to influence roads programmes.

Mr Monaghan highlighted some of the schemes already completed in 2008/09. These included pelican crossing provision at Jordanstown Road near Devenish Drive; creation of right turn pockets and central hatching at Doagh Road, Ballyclare and safety fence replacement at Hills Bridge, Church Road, Ballynure and Ballylinny Burn, Templepatrick Road.

Notes to Editors:

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