Roads Service prioritising safety amid budgetary pressures

THE Divisional Roads manager for the Omagh area has warned that budgetary pressures are impacting their ability to deliver a full range of services to the public.

Daniel Healy was speaking at a special meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. He outlined a range of schemes aimed at improving local roads, street lighting, and cycling and pedestrian amenities.

During the meeting, Mr Healy said it was recognised there was more to do to improve the North’s road network and the Department for Infrastructure was maximising its resources to deliver ‘positive engineering impacts’.

challenging

“The Department’s 2024/25 budget allocation is challenging, however we will continue to prioritise essential frontline services.”

Mr Healy acknowledged the challenges posed by the 2024-25 budget, but affirmed the Department’s commitment to advancing local transport, safety schemes, and maintenance programs aimed at improving road safety.

“Over the next year, in the Fermanagh & Omagh area, we plan to develop the road upgrade of Mountjoy Road to improve traffic progression for the proposed Strule Campus, and complete safety improvements and resurfacing schemes at numerous locations across the district… along with the completion of 153 lane kilometres of surface dressing.”

He said, “Public safety is our paramount priority, and as a result it may mean other functions will be lower in our priorities.”

Mr Healy welcomed the recent announcement that the A5 Western Transport Corridor (WTC) will proceed to construction. He said it was hoped that work on the new dual carriageway will start early in 2025 and would have ‘significant’ safety and traffic benefits. He also outlined how much will be invested in schemes in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area over the next year.

street lighting

These will include £405,000 to Local Transport and Safety Measures, £200,000 for street lighting schemes at nine sites, including Sedan Avenue, Gortnagarn Road, Woodside Avenue and Arleston Road to Knocknamoe Road in Omagh.

A total of £350,000 will be spent on repairing bridges and other structures belonging to Road Service, including traffic lights and drainage.

By far the largest amount will be invested in road resurfacing schemes.

A total of £2.2 million has been allocated for projects including on the Great Northern Road in Omagh and two stretches of the Barony Road on the A505 between Omagh and Cookstown. Just over £2 million has been allocated to other resurfacing schemes on scores of roads around the district, and £1.1 million on surface dressing over 152 kilometres.