£3.6m investment in roads maintenance

Speaking ahead of Monday evening’s meeting between TransportNI and Carrickfergus Borough Council, Mr Kennedy said: “A wide range of road improvement and maintenance schemes are planned or already complete in the Carrickfergus Borough Council area.

“Work is progressing well on the £50million A2 Shore Road dual carriageway scheme and is expected to be completed in summer 2015.

“The autumn round of council meetings is a timely opportunity to discuss potential schemes and priorities.”

Addressing the recent financial constraints being experienced by Executive departments, Mr Kennedy added: “The impact of current resource budget pressures on my Department is affecting routine maintenance of the road network.

“While there remain pressures on capital budgets Departmental officials will continue to develop resurfacing and traffic management schemes, to enhance safety, to improve traffic flow and provide measures for pedestrians and cyclists.

“I will, however, continue to bid in monitoring rounds for further capital for structural maintenance to maintain the integrity of the road network.”

“Officials from my Department are currently engaging with the chief executives of the new councils to ensure the transition from 26 to 11 Councils enables us to continue our good working relationships with councillors and the new councils.”

At Monday’s meeting, principal engineer Alan Keys and section engineer Colin Campbell highlighted a number of improvement and maintenance schemes currently planned or progressed.

Mr Keys welcomed expenditure on structural maintenance which had allowed the Northern Division to deliver many needed projects including 1.66kilometres of carriageway resurfacing incorporating works completed at Copperwood Road, Coronation Road, Trailcock Road, Downshire Road and Prospect Drive.

In addition to the resurfacing programme, over 8.0km of carriageway was surface dressed at a cost of £84,000 and a £53,000 footway resurfacing scheme was carried out at Marine Highway in Carrickfergus.

“I am also pleased to note that work to construct a retaining wall and pedestrian guard rail at Old Castle Road Whitehead is progressing on site,” Mr Keys said.