Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan has welcomed the announcement of extra money for gritting and streetlight repairs by Finance Minister Conor Murphy.
The North Antrim MLA said:
“It’s welcome that the Finance Minister has allocated £3 million to the Department for Infrastructure for services to deal with winter conditions.
“This means additional funding for road gritting and streetlight repairs which should greatly improve the safety of our roads during peak times of bad weather.
“People are frustrated by the limited levels of gritting and streetlight. This additional money should go some way towards alleviating that frustration.
“I have written to the Minister for Infrastructure for clarity on how she intends to use this extra funding and if the winter gritting schedule can now be expanded. I have asked her on the floor of the Assembly to consider a review of this service to make sure rural roads that lead to vital services such as our Primary schools are gritted. Every time it snows the rural community of North Antrim in places like Loughgiel, Armoy or Dunloy and many other places are disadvantaged whilst trying to get their children to and from school.
“I have also been continually raising the number of street lights that need repaired in every town and village in North Antrim and the length of time it as been taking to get them repaired. I hope this money begins to make an immediate difference to this service.
“I commend the Finance Minister Conor Murphy on providing the vital funding required to ensure our roads are safer at a time when they are at their most dangerous.”
