The Minister said: “The combined footway/cycleway on Staffordstown Road Randalstown, which was started late in 2006/07, is nearing completion at a total cost of £98,000. The scheme which extends from Moneynick Road junction out to Mount Shalgus Lane at Randalstown Forest forms part of the National Cycle Network Loughshore Trail.
"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 Strategic Improvement Team Manager, Uel Wilson welcomed the continued high level of investment in local transport and safety measures in the Antrim 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 Antrim Borough Council area this year include the completion of the missing link of footway (approximately 860m) on Paradise Walk from the M2 fly-over at Parkgate down to Six Mile Water bridge towards Templepatrick, and phase 2 of the traffic calming scheme in Crumlin in a number of housing developments and on the Glenavy Road in the vicinity of the schools.
Mr Wilson said: “Roads Service will continue to concentrate on scheme delivery in Antrim 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 Wilson also took the opportunity to highlight some of the schemes already completed in 2007/08. These included the Antrim Area Hospital M2 slip roads which were started last financial year and have now been completed at a total cost of £3million as well as 300m of footway has been provided on the Creevery Road Antrim at a cost of £85,000. The Templepatrick Park and Share Car Park has been extended to increase the capacity by a further 30 spaces at a cost of £30,000 and collision remedial measures costing £25,000 are nearing completion on the Castle Road, Antrim between the rugby club and the town.
Notes to Editors:
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