Roads Service reports on schemes in Ballymoney area

Transport Minister Conor Murphy welcomed the successful completion of Roads Service's 2009/2010 programme of works and the planned £1.71million for structural road maintenance in the Ballymoney area this year.

Speaking ahead of this afternoon's meeting between Roads Service and Ballymoney Borough Council, the Minister said: "A range of local schemes has been delivered successfully by Roads Service in the past year.  While the tightening public expenditure environment in the year ahead will be challenging, Roads Service remains committed to ensure it can make best use of our resources and continue to deliver quality public services.”

The Minister noted the ongoing work on the proposal to dual part of the Northern Transport Corridor, on the A26 Frosses Road between Glarryford Crossroads and Ballycastle Fork. He said: “I announced the preferred route for the proposed dualling of the A26 Frosses Road between Glarryford Crossroads and Ballycastle Fork in August 2008.  My Department is continuing to develop the design for this important road scheme in preparation for progressing the project through the necessary environmental, planning and land acquisition statutory procedures. These statutory procedures are expected to be published during the 2011/12 financial year. The April 2008 DRD Investment Delivery Plan for Roads anticipates advertisement of the scheme to the market and completion/delivery of the scheme in the period 2013/14 to 2017/18. “

Improvement schemes completed in 2009/10 included a £300,000 realignment on the B147 Kirk Road which improved the visibility sight splay of the Bellisle/Kirk Road junction and also the forward sight distance around a bend adjacent to the junction.

A combined footway/cycleway has also been constructed at a cost of £100,000 on the B147 Ballinlea Road between Stranocum village and Bushvalley Primary School.

In total 14kilometres of carriageway were resurfaced at a total cost of £1.23million, the most significant being 930metres of the A26 Newbridge Road at Seacon, 567metres of the A26 at Portrush Road Roundabout & Frosses Road, Ballymoney and 445 metres of the A44 Drones Road, Armoy.

Speaking at the meeting, Malcolm Glover, Principal Engineer, welcomed the continued investment in road maintenance, which is helping to rectify the damage caused by the severe conditions last winter.  He said: “A programme of resurfacing works includes 700metres of the B62 Craig’s Road, Rasharkin, 850metres of the B16 Gracehill Road, Armoy and 750metres of B16 Bellaghy Road, Dunloy.”

Roads Service also presented the Council with a programme for local transport and safety measures, which is currently being developed for the area. These projects, which include the provision of a right turning lane at the junction of the Frosses Road / Crosstagherty Road and traffic calming measures on Bridge Road, Dunloy will be delivered as resources permit.

Notes to editors:

1. All media queries should be directed to the DRD Press on 028 9054 0817. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.