Rural Road Conditions Worsen, Potholes Persist Despite £500m Expenditure

A transport provider has highlighted that the worsening state of rural roads and the presence of potholes are impacting trips for vulnerable passengers. Frances Scullion, a driver for Out and About Community Transport, a charity based in Magherafelt that provides transportation and excursions for elderly and vulnerable adults, made this observation. “I have passengers in their 90s and wheelchair users, and some of the rural roads I drive on are just getting in worse condition, so you just have to always be extra vigilant,” he said. Data indicates that over the past five years, more than £500m has been allocated to road repairs in Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, Mid Ulster, which received the most significant portion of this funding, continues to report one of the highest counts of potholes across Northern Ireland. BBC News NI had previously reported that the region’s road network is experiencing its most severe funding crisis in over 25 years. Earlier this week, additional funds were announced for Northern Ireland’s government departments as part of Stormont’s budget reallocation. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) received a total allocation of £62.4m, comprising £22.8m for ongoing budgets and £39.6m for capital expenditure. However, the specific amount designated for road maintenance remains uncertain, as a portion of these funds is earmarked for resolving issues within Northern Ireland’s wastewater infrastructure. BBC News NI has sought clarification from DfI regarding the allocation for road maintenance but has not yet received a reply. Out and About Community Transport, which conducts approximately 200,000 journeys each year transporting vulnerable passengers to appointments and shops, is expressing significant concerns about the condition of the roads. Mr. Scullion, who drives daily for the dial-a-lift service, described rural roads in Mid Ulster as “very tired” with “the edges have eroded away”. “When I’m driving these roads I’m always having to scan ahead to see just where the potholes are, because there are plenty of them,” he said. “Rural roads make up about 60% of my journeys, and they are continuously eroding and wearing on the vehicle’s suspension and it’s causing ongoing damage to the buses.” The problem of potholes is not a recent development for the majority of local councillors, particularly those representing rural constituencies. Malachy Quinn, an SDLP councillor in Mid Ulster, said people “can sometimes mock councillors for getting pictures beside potholes and things like, but it’s probably the issue I get people calling me and talking to me about most in this area”. For several years, he has actively campaigned to highlight the condition of Ferry Road in the Washingbay area of County Tyrone. Last year, he shared an image on social media depicting himself standing hip-deep in a pothole on the aforementioned road. “That picture did get a lot of reaction, and although it was filled in after that, it’s already started to fall away again into a pothole, but that’s just one example.” That road is full of them. “These are potholes that have formed during the summer, and things are only going to get worse during the winter.“ We’ve had some resurfacing schemes and you can see how much is being spent on road repairs, and while investment is welcome, it’s just papering over the cracks.” Data from DfI indicates that nearly 120,000 road defects and potholes have been documented in Northern Ireland since January of this year, with structural maintenance expenditure showing a year-on-year increase. Structural maintenance encompasses the resurfacing and reconstruction of roads and footways, alongside investments in drainage infrastructure and the structural integrity of embankments. The majority of these defects were recorded within the western roads division, an area that covers portions of Mid Ulster, Fermanagh, and Londonderry. Clement Cuthbertson, a DUP councillor for Mid Ulster, said the figures “mightn’t be considered that surprising given that Mid Ulster has so many rural roads and important trunk roads that constantly need maintenance”. “So while the money being spent is welcomed, and it’s high, the state of the roads show it’s not enough when you look at the level of potholes that we still have.” Jason Donaghy, manager of the Fermanagh Community Transport service, stated that potholes exacerbate difficulties for passengers experiencing painful physical conditions. He remarked, “The roads make for a very uncomfortable and increasingly unsafe journey for folks who are already very, very vulnerable.” Mr. Donaghy informed the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme that while repairs are being conducted, they represent only a short-term fix. He commented, “What we do see is a patch-up job and a very poor patch-up job at that. “No sooner are they filled to the holes reoccur again very, very quickly.” Stephen Dunne, a DUP assembly member and member of Stormont’s infrastructure committee, emphasized that inadequate road maintenance constitutes both “a rural and urban issue.” However, he conceded that in certain locations, potholes are now permitted to reach a greater depth before being addressed. The Department of Infrastructure typically intervenes when a pothole attains a depth of 20mm; however, for roads with low traffic volumes, the intervention threshold was recently adjusted to 50mm. “So that has had a significant impact, where many potholes are left to further deteriorate,” Mr Dunne said. “I think we have an approach from the department where it’s penny wise, pound foolish, where they seem to be prepared to simply pay out on claims rather than getting to grips with the issue.” Mr. Dunne asserted that the committee has “consistently challenged” the minister regarding potholes. Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd recently introduced the Road Safety Strategy to 2030, which outlines the future direction for road safety policies and actions. This strategy incorporates regular inspections of the road network to identify defects, with funding directed towards areas demonstrating the most significant need. A DfI spokesperson added: “Sadly, evidence shows that more than 95% of road deaths are due to human error – including careless or inattentive driving, inappropriate speed for the road or the conditions, and drink and drug driving account for most deaths and serious injuries.“ One of the best ways to ensure safety on our roads and fulfil our long-term goal of eliminating death and serious injury by 2050, is by changing road user behaviour.”