Mid and East Antrim roads: Department rejects repairs ‘neglected’ claim and says delivery plans exceeded

The roads authority was responding to concerns raised by East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson about what constituents see as a lack of resurfacing work in the borough.

Mr Wilson said: "In the last financial year only 23% of contracts that were awarded were completed, whilst in other council areas it was up to 90%. No minor works contracts have been awarded at all in Mid and East Antrim for the current financial year which of course will mean that the backlog of work and the state of the roads will deteriorate further.

“Almost on a weekly basis I receive complaints from constituents regarding the state of roadways in their housing areas and on rural roads. The state of roads has resulted in damage to constituents cars and to the creation of dangerous conditions which have led to accidents.”

The DUP representative added: "The Department for Instructure must give an explanation as to why Mid and East Antrim appears to have been neglected in the way it has and I hope that representations from myself and Mid and East Antrim Council will result in the situation being remedied.”

In response, the Department said while it is working in a challenging financial environment, it has delivered more than originally proposed for Mid and East Antrim.

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A DfI spokesperson said: “The Department has reviewed the actual spend in Mid and East Antrim Council against the planned works reported in the 2023/24 Annual Report to council.

We can confirm that the Department exceeded delivery within this area by 150% of the planned schemes, which equated to 129% of the intended planned expenditure.

"As with other council areas, resurfacing works have been ongoing throughout the current financial year with three major resurfacing schemes delivered in Mid and East Antrim since April 2024 and a further two schemes ongoing. Additionally, six minor resurfacing schemes have been delivered with a further scheme currently ongoing.

"The Department does accept that there is plenty of work required on our road network. We have been operating in a difficult financial environment for a number of years, due to underfunding and cuts by the British Government. The Department will continue to work hard to ensure our limited funding is targeted at areas of greatest need.”

In relation to road safety, the spokesperson said “one of the best ways to fulfil our long-term goal of eliminating death and serious injury by 2050, is by changing road user behaviour”.

"The evidence shows that more than 95% of road traffic collisions where someone is killed or seriously injured are due to human error. This means, deaths and serious injuries on our roads are not an inevitable consequence of using the roads.

"We all have a personal responsibility to behave in a way that keeps ourselves and others safe.”