MLA's 'Pothole chaos' warning as roads set to get worse despite latest budget boost

Niall Deeney
·3-min read
One of the many potholes on NI roads
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


The "crumbling roads" in Northern Ireland show the wider deterioration in public services here, an MLA has said after warning a £62.4 million budget boost won't be enough to sort out potholes.

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said it is "no surprise" Derry is among the areas of Northern Ireland with the most registered potholes, as he warned the Stormont department in charge of the road network is "unable to carry out basic structural maintenance".

He said: "Recently a constituent quipped that we used to drive on the left of the road, now we drive on what’s left of the road."

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He was speaking after the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) was given £62.4 million as part of the October Monitoring Round.

A total of around £700 million was allocated to the various Stormont departments last week, as a result of spending by the UK government in London.

The lion's share was allocated to the Department of Health - around half of the total at £350 million.

The rest was spread between the departments with £22.8 million allocated to Infrastructure for resource spending plus another £39.6 million for capital expenditure.

The SDLP said in a statement that it "remains unclear" how much of the £62.4 million total will be directed towards road maintenance.

At last week’s meeting of the Infrastructure Committee, members were advised that the road network faced the biggest funding crisis in over 25 years.

In a statement, Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said: “The picture for our roads is frightening and the forecast is even worse. There has been a massive deterioration in our roads over the past few years, potholes have become all too common, with the same places requiring repair again and again and budgetary pressures leading to temporary rather than permanent solutions. DfI’s budget has been hampered by the absence of an Executive and critically, the lack of monitoring rounds at Stormont on which it has always depended."

He continued: “It will come as no surprise to many within my constituency, that Derry has among the highest number of registered potholes in the North. Recently a constituent quipped that we used to drive on the left of the road, now we drive on what’s left of the road. The department can’t deliver within their current budget which has left it unable to carry out basic structural maintenance functions and puts public safety at risk.

“Our crumbling roads are just a very visible microcosm of the wider deterioration of public services after so many years of austerity and failed leadership."

Mr Durkan added: "There needs to be a conscious effort not only to increase funding but to review existing repair policy within DfI Roads to ensure money is spent strategically. The SDLP Opposition remains committed to pushing for road maintenance to be a top priority and will advocate for policy reforms to steer away from the current penny-wise, pound foolish approach which not only affects the quality and longevity of road repairs, but makes life difficult for our dedicated DfI Roads staff, who are repeatedly called back to address the same problem areas."

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