AQW 24444/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 18/10/2021
Answered On Date: 25/10/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure pursuant to AQW 23538/17-22, (i) whether budgetary constraints are the sole reason for not bringing private roads used by the public up to standard if ownership cannot be determined; and (ii) whether, where it can be demonstrated there is significant public use of a road in disrepair and therefore a greater threat of damage to vehicles and to public safety, her Department can undertake road improvements should funding be available.

Answer:

My Department would not be in a position to adopt and repair damaged roads that are currently unadopted; responsibility for their repair remains with the frontagers or landowners and even if land ownership is unknown, my Department could not assume such a responsibility.

As well as budgetary constraints, there are also legal issues in that my Department is only authorised under the Roads (NI) Order 1993 to spend public money on roads that it maintains or on lands that it has purchased for purposes of providing necessary road improvements.