Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan has called for a renewed focus on improving rural roads. The Newry and Armagh MLA raised the issue with the Infrastructure Minister at the Assembly today. 

Cathal Boylan said: 

“A 2019 Audit office report found that while the trunk road network was in better shape than expected, the local road network continued to worsen. 

“The report recommended that the Department for Infrastructure reconsider how funding is allocated within the structural maintenance budget to ensure fairer coverage of the local road network.

“Today I called on the Minister for Infrastructure to commit to a greater coverage of the rural roads network within the structural maintenance budget. The Minister responded that the budget has not yet been finalised. 

“It’s no secret that our rural and local roads are in a very poor condition, and I hope to see a renewed focus on improving them moving forward.”