AQW 24444/17-22 Written question to the Minister for Infrastructure
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.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 18 October 2021
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 18 October 2021
- Answer due by
- 2 November 2021
- Answered
- 25 October 20217 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Infrastructure
- Priority question
- No
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.