Shortfall threat to road schemes

Some road improvements under threat from shortfall

Regional development minister Gregory Campbell has warned of a threat to major road schemes already under way because of a funding shortfall.

Mr Campbell told the assembly regional development committee that schemes such as by-passes of Toome in County Antrim, and Omagh in County Tyrone, may have to be deferred for financial reasons.

He said there was an annual deficit of £80m in the budget needed to fund road repairs.

The road schemes which could be affected also include the Belfast to Larne and the Loughbrickland to Beechill routes.

He said the schemes could be deferred during a visit by DRD committee members to Enniskillen in Fermanagh.

"I should also warn that the indicative capital budgets for 2002/03 and 2003/04 mean that I cannot complete all the major roadwork schemes currently listed in the five-year preparation pool, which includes those schemes I have just highlighted."

Hard decisions

Mr Campbell said hard decisions had to be made about the road improvement programme because he could not start schemes and enter into any contractual commitments when he did not have the finance at his disposal to complete them.

He said this was "a major challenge" and he welcomed the support of the assembly committee in trying to address the funding gap.

The committee members were also told by Western Divisional Roads manager Geoff Allister that there needed to be more investment in roads in the area to help economic growth, to reduce congestion and to make an important contribution to improving road safety.

"I am extremely concerned at the continual decline in the condition of the rural road network as reported by the Northern Ireland Audit Office," he said.

"I am pleased at the recent budget announcement of an additional £3.8m for structural maintenance next year but much more remains to be done."