£1million pot for pothole problem is welcomed

Sinn Féin MLA Sinéad Ennis has welcomed the announcement of an additional £1 million of funding to address potholes on our roads.

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said the additional funding will be spent on addressing the issue before the end of this financial year.

Currently about 7,000 potholes a month are fixed but the Minister has acknowledged that more needs to be done. This extra allocation will go some way to address the roads with the most significant need.

The party’s Chief Whip, Ms Ennis said: “I welcome the announcement by infrastructure minister John O’Dowd to help improve our roads and fix potholes.

“Many of our roads across South Down are in dire condition and need urgent repairs. I have been speaking with local residents who have suffered huge damage to their cars and are growing increasingly concerned over the safety of some roads.

INTERVENTION

“This is an important and quick intervention by the minister to invest in our roads, to address the backlog in road maintenance work and make our roads safer.

Minister O’Dowd said: “This £1million investment today is the start of addressing the problem, it’s a statement of intent that I will seek out the investment to improve our road networks for motorists and cyclists.”