“Local potholes are going unchecked” – Sinn Féin Councillor | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

“Local potholes are going unchecked” – Sinn Féin Councillor

Sinn Féin Councillor Terry Hearty has called on the DFI Roads Service Southern Division Manager, Simon Richards, to visit South Armagh.

The Slieve Gullion representative made the call as part of a lobbying campaign he has been carrying out regarding the state of rural roads in the area.

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“I have been repeatedly raising the issue of the ever worsening state of rural roads in South Armagh with DFI Roads Service,” he said.

 

 

“Roads are becoming more and more dangerous as potholes go unchecked, getting bigger and bigger, especially now that we’re in the winter months.

“Some of these potholes are 6 and 7 inches deep, well past the point at which DFI Roads are required to act and become responsible if something happens.

“Some of these potholes have been let deteriorate for so long that a problem which could have been solved by a few shovels of tar a year ago will now require whole sections of the road to be dug up and resurfaced.

“This is a serious failure of management,” he insisted.

 

 

“Cars are regularly damaged going over these potholes and people are forced to zigzag around to avoid them.

“With it being dark before 5 o’clock in the evening now it’s only a matter of time before these roads cause an avoidable and unnecessary accident.

“I want Division Manager Simon Richards to come to South Armagh and I will personally show him the sheer depth of the problem and the urgency with which it needs to be fixed.

 

 

Hearty continued, “I’d also add that having spoken to my colleagues in the council, this doesn’t seem to be an issue in the Downpatrick Section Office.

“We’re told that money is evenly allocated per kilometre of road and yet the roads covered by the Newry Section Office, at least in South Armagh, are a threat to life and limb, while there are no such issues in Downpatrick.

“There have to be serious questions asked either about how and where this money is allocated or how the Newry Office budget is being managed.

“Either way, South Armagh is being shafted once again and as we come into another winter with roads already lying in rubble it’s only going to get worse.

 

 

“Mr Richards needs to come to South Armagh, as soon as possible, to see the reality of the situation for himself.

The local Councillor added, “We need urgent action now or not very far down the road we will be facing into a storm of expensive road resurfacing, accidents, injuries or worse.”

 

 

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Posted by on Dec 13 2019. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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