Mid and East Antrim: Council told road safety is a high priority 'but there is much more to do'
Mid and East Antrim councillors have received an update on roadworks which have been completed in the borough during the last financial year and those planned for 2026/27.
Presenting this year’s annual report during a meeting of the council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee, Alan Keys, divisional roads manager, DfI Roads, Northern Division, stressed road safety is “a high priority”. “It is recognised that there is much more to do as we seek to improve and protect the vital road network,” he stated.
He indicated the Department has targeted approximately £12.5m towards a Roads Recovery Fund which will enable the delivery of the highest priority resurfacing, roadside stability and drainage projects.
He stressed the Department continues to prioritise key essential services and a limited service policy will continue for routine maintenance activities such as defect repair, grass cutting and gully emptying.
He explained this policy allows the Department to repair defects greater than 50mm on all roads, including low trafficked rural roads and high trafficked roads with defects greater than 20mm which will also be repaired, subject to available resources.
Mr Keys said the aim is to cut all sightline grass at least twice between April and October on more heavily trafficked roads and once a year on other roads.
He explained this is to “balance the need for road safety while protecting our environment and encouraging biodiversity”.
He also noted additional funding has been included towards improving the quality and extent of “patch repairs” such as cleaning drainage, signage repair and refreshing white lines.
He reported re-surfacing on the trunk road network was carried out at Moorfields Road, Ballymena, at a cost of £1.3m and at locations including Coast Road, Ballygally; ECOS Roundabout, Ballymena; Glenravel Road, Cargin; Ballyrickard Road, Larne; Grove Road, Ballymena. Ferniskey Road, Kells; Hiltonstown Road, Portglenone, Springmount Road, Clough and Cardonaghy Road, Ahoghill, amongst others, at a cost of £3.35m.
Surface dressing was carried out at routes including Doury Road, Ballymena; Slaght Road, Ballymena; Ballybollen Road, Ahoghill; Drumramer Road, Ahoghill; Mount Davys Road, Cullybackey; Carmagrum Road, Portglenone; and others at a cost of £1.3m.
Footpath resurfacing took place at locations across Mid and East Antrim at a cost of £350k including Donegall Close, Park, Drive, Whitehead; Glenvale Park, Glynn; Blackcave and Cairngrove, Larne; Ferniskey Road and Carngrove Park, Ballymena; Killane Road and Ballymena Road, Ahoghill and Hilton Park, Portglenone.
Road surfacing schemes planned during 2026/27 at a cost of £3.8m are at Larne Road, Carrickfergus; North Road, Moorfields Road, Galgorm Road and Grove Road, Ballymena and Waterfall Road, Larne.
Surface dressing at a cost of £1.13m is planned at 15 locations in Ballymena, Munie Road, Glenarm and Ballymullock Road, Larne.
Street lighting upgrades have been completed at three locations in Carrickfergus – Albert Road, 82 lights; Belfast Road, 48; Fergus Avenue pathway, 15 lights; Old Portglenone Road, 27; Straid Road, 13, Ahoghill; Meadowvale, Ballymena, 24; Grove Road, Ballymena, ten; Coast Road, Ballygally, seven; Foxhill, Ballymena, seven and Knocklayde Crescent, Larne, four.
Further upgrades are planned at Larne Road, Carrick, 25; Grace Avenue North, Ballygally, four; Grace Avenue, Ballygally, seven; Ballymoney Road, Ballymena 50; Springwell St/Albert Place, Ballymena 30; Coast Road, Glenarm 13; Dromore Road, Carrick 20; Colinwood, Ballymena, 16; Main Street, Kells 19; Greenland Road, Larne 25, depending on finance.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter