Roads around the Mournes are in poor shape after the spell of severe weather says Alliance Councillor Jill Truesdale
Following the spell of ice, frost and snow, Alliance Councillor has spoken of her shock at the state of the roads around the Mournes.
Cllr Truesdale said: “I was ‘absolutely shocked at the condition of the Castlewellan Road from the Newcastle ’roundabout’ to the Cup n Saucer.
“The condition of the road was particularly atrocious outside Ballegbeg, Burrendale estates and Burren Meadow with a very deep hole currently disintegrating outside Sunny Holme Caravan Park with a hub cap already lying beside it.
“This is just one small portion of road in a networks of thousands, and nearly all complaints emanate from poor road repairs by utility companies, the rest coming from the ‘jet patch’ method of repairs by DfI.Â
“The cold spell has done what it always does. Snow and ice sits in the poor seams left by utility companies, freezes, expands, and melts. Seams are now deeper, and further compromised leading to a heightened risk of deterioration and danger on the road for users.”
“The Minister for Infrastructure carries a range of powers to make sure any work carried out by utility companies, and requiring a Streetworks Licence, is inspected before it’s declared ‘passed’. Until then the utilities do not get their bond back,” said Cllr Truesdale.
“At January’s council meeting a call for the Minister to meet with all Mourne Councillors was reiterated on the subject of the A2 which has been affected very badly by recent floods and storms especially at Shannghmore, Bloody Bridge, Glassdrumman and Rosrevor areas.
“Mountain roads and alternative routes are no better and at times completely impassable.”
She said that the NI Audit Office Report in December 2024 concluded: ‘as a consequence of weaknesses found they were unable to conclude current arrangements are effective in delivering value for money‘.
She added: “Yes. That’s our money the report nwas referring too! They found weaknesses relating to key issues identified in the previous Public Accounts Committee reports that have still not been fully addressed.
“The report contains seven recommendations which are not dependent on ‘the British Governments’ money, it just requires good governance and proper oversight’.
Cllr Truesdale said that in the 2023-24 year alone the structural maintenance expenditure for NI (which also includes carriageway patching expenditure) was £120.4 million and this is not sustainable when there are good recommendations to implement to tackle these persistent issues.Â
The fastest way to report a pothole or surface defect is through the “Report a Pothole” service on the nidirect website.
“Could not taking on board recommendations be because it’s an unpopular call in a place all about populist politicking?” added Cllr Jill Truesdale.
Read the repoprt here:
https://www.niauditoffice.gov.uk/publications/road-openings-utilities-report
