Progress For Banbridge Roads Hailed

Progress on investment totalling £1.9 million for structural road maintenance in the Banbridge area this year has been praised.

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy has welcomed Roads Service's success and at a meeting between Roads Service and Banbridge District Council he said: "Roads Service remains committed to ensuring that it can make best use of our resources and continues to deliver quality public services."

He also noted that improvement works have been completed on the Castlewellan Road, Banbridge at Corbet.

He said: "This large minor scheme realigned 560m of roadway and diverted a disused canal and two river culverts. A footway improvement scheme has been completed on the Castlewellan Road, Banbridge from Ballydown Church to Lisnaree cross-roads.

"In addition, over ten lane km of asphalt resurfacing has been completed, so far in the District this year, with a further three lane km programmed for completion by the end of the year. Resurfacing schemes have been completed at Lurgan Road, Seapatrick; Banbridge Road, Lawrencetown; Edenderry Road, Banbridge and Blackskull Road, Blackskull."

Further schemes are planned for Ballygunaghan Place, Blackskull; Millar Park, Lawrencetown; Blackbridge Road, Poyntzpass; and Ballymoney Road, Banbridge.

Divisional Roads Manager Kevin Monaghan commented: "A wide range of local schemes have been successfully planned and delivered in the Banbridge District in the past 12 months. The ever tightening public expenditure environment in this current year is challenging.

"Despite this, I remain committed to developing a programme of high priority road improvement and maintenance schemes for the District, so that these can be delivered as resources permit."

(GK/BMcC)