Funding for our roads network will be split between maintenance and improvements

Letter Pier at Kilcrohane which was damaged extensively last year.

TRANSPORT Minister Paschal Donohoe announced last week an allocation of €32.2m for regional and local roads in Co Cork.

The funding is part of a national investment programme of €29m which will allow approximately 2,000km of regional and local road to be maintained and strengthened in 2015.

‘Local and regional roads in Co Cork are in need of investment following a number of severe winters and in order to bring roads in the area up to standard,’ said local Deputy Noel Harrington. He added that €5.34m will go towards maintenance works and €26.86m will be allocated for improvement works across the county.

The funding announced is awarded in addition to local authorities’ own resources, and county councils are best placed to assess priorities within their areas and are responsible for their work programme, said the deputy.

The main features of the national investment programme include:

• €145m for maintenance, improvement and strengthening works

• €41m for surface dressing

• €62.5m for maintenance and strengthening works for which local authorities have discretion in the selection of roads

•€17m for Specific and Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects

•€7.7m for bridge rehabilitation works

•€5.8m for Low Cost Safety Improvement Works

•€4.2m for urban block grant

•€11m of miscellaneous grants including, bridge inspections, training, maproad and road safety measures.

‘Ensuring the upkeep and maintenance of our road network is essential in facilitating our future economic growth and securing job creation,’ said the Cork South West deputy. ‘The Regional Enterprise Strategy which will be launched in the coming weeks will emphasise growth in the regions and I am confident that improved and well maintained roads in West Cork can only be an advantage to locals and to businesses.’