Craigavon treated with 'disdain' claim rejected by Department for Infrastructure Roads
Councillor Catherine Nelson has accused DfI Roads Southern Division of treating with “disdain” parts of Craigavon DEA, citing a lack of traffic-calming measures and giving examples of footpaths in poor condition to back up her claim of neglect.
The Sinn Féin representative made her claims at the monthly meeting of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council on October 27, when DfI Roads Southern Division’s Annual Report 2025/26 was being presented.
Addressing acting divisional roads manager for the Southern Division, Cindy Noble, Cllr Nelson stated: “I suppose I’m going to vent a bit of frustration about what I see as a real underinvestment in both the Craigavon central area, and the rural area of Derrymacash and Derrytrasna.
“And I say that because not only do I read the annual reports, but I recently read all five [reports] for the past five years side by side, and I could see that these two areas are massively under invested, when compared to other areas of our council.”
The Craigavon DEA councillor added: “Cindy will know that I did request to meet with her to discuss that, because I believe that’s a strategic decision. It’s an operational decision being made at management level, it’s not for the clinics. Unfortunately, I was refused that opportunity to meet with Cindy, and I found that disheartening.
“It’s not my experience of 10 years of politics in ever having been refused a meeting with the divisional manager, and to have to write to the minister in order to secure a bit of your time I thought was disappointing, and if I’m being very honest, is reflective of the disdain with which I think management at DfI hold elected reps in this area, and indeed the disdain with which the Central Craigavon, Derrymacash and Derrytrasna areas are treated.
“I’m going to illustrate that because I don’t say that without evidence. I know I only have a few minutes, so I won’t be able to give all examples.
Bustling Village
“For 10 years, I have campaigned for works on the Derrymacash Road, one of the worst roads in the borough beside a bustling village, the main road to the chapel, to the school, to the shop, to the GAA club.
“And the only reason I recently got very basic patch-up work done on that road was because I began a petition. The petition started to gain traction, and I then all of a sudden got my meeting with officials on site, and a little bit of work done. Not fully satisfactory, but better than what it was.
“Back in May, I reported the overgrowth of the only footpath in Derrytrasna, the main footpath again linking the chapel, the school and the GAA Club. I reported it in May as overgrown, forcing people, including mothers with prams, people in wheelchairs, out onto a busy stretch of road.
“Come September, myself and Cllr Jude Mallon decided we’d just do it ourselves, and indeed that’s what we did.
“Back in November 2024, I requested a speed reduction on the Silverwood Road of Craigavon. That remains outstanding. I did get an email today, a bit of a coincidence, with DfI officials of Southern Division appearing tonight.
“I have reported a footpath in Melrose, where an elderly lady took a fall. That’s now six months. It’s white-lined, that’s the extent of it.
“There’s no speed-calming done at all, as far as I’m aware, in the whole of the borough. Yet, when I compare Southern Division to Northern, Western and Eastern [Divisions], speed-calming is very regular, the introduction of ramps to help with road safety concerns is the norm, but not here.
“In Kiln Lane, the only footpath has been dug up and it has been restored to a really poor condition. Officials have been out on site. I did manage to secure that, but I’ve been told, ‘Well, we’ll not do anything about it now, because maybe at some point we’ll resurface the whole of the footpath’.
“If you take a drive around Craigavon, you’ll see very few traffic lights, it’s actually shocking. So, our children’s walk to school is much [more] dangerous than in other areas.
“And finally, I reported a hedge near a primary school back in October 2024. And it took me countless emails, phone calls, press releases to get that hedge cut back in June 2025.
“So, I’m sorry if I do sound frustrated, Cindy, but I do believe these decisions are being taken at an operational level.
“I don’t come to the clinics because I think they’re a waste of time. Nothing comes out of them any more than me logging things on the system. I log everything on the portal, I don’t do individual emails.
“So, I’m disappointed, I am frustrated, and I just really at this stage have lost all hope in the Southern Division area of DfI.”
The senior DfI official refuted claims that other divisions were providing a better service, and she insisted that her team was doing its best with the resources available.
She commented: “Thank you, Cllr Nelson, I’m sorry that you feel like that. I can assure you that my staff work tirelessly across all of the division.
“Take for example your traffic-calming. If you look at the reports from the Ards and North Down, and Newry, Mourne [and Down] Council areas, I think there’s one traffic-calming scheme in the whole of Southern Division, and that’s a reflection of what we can afford to deliver within this division.
“What we’re trying to do is to prioritise those safety issues and those sites that have the highest priority.
“I think the clinics that we offer in this borough are very worthwhile, and we do give a response back to all of those issues that are raised, and I’m happy to take any of those and give you a response on them individually, if that’s what you prefer.”
François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter