Varadkar announces €332M for Regional and Local Roads

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has announced details of the €332.9 million investment programme for 2014 for regional and local roads.

The package will allow approximately 1,910 kms of regional and local road to be maintained, 2,156 kms to be strengthened, 245 low cost safety projects to be carried out, and 162 bridge rehabilitation projects in 2014.

“I have been able to protect funding for road maintenance and repair in 2014 as maintenance must be the top priority, particularly following the recent spell of bad weather. Local authorities will also have more discretion than ever before about how they allocate funding under the various grant categories, which will allow them to target resources at roads damaged by the recent storms. More than €106 million is available in 2014 for works that the local authorities will have full discretion over,” Minister Varadkar said.

“In addition, I am allowing local authorities to set aside funds for Local Improvement Schemes to repair laneways that are not public roads but are used by several households or farms.

“The focus on road maintenance and repair comes against a backdrop of ongoing limited resources and an overall cut of 17% this year on the 2013 funding. As a consequence, new schemes focused on improvement rather than maintenance will be curtailed for 2014. Our priority is to maintain the existing road network, and unfortunately there is little scope for carrying out new road improvement projects.

“There is sufficient funding to allow 30 projects to be targeted under the existing Specific Improvement Projects scheme. There will also be funding for 13 existing strategic schemes on regional roads, and work will start on 245 low-cost safety projects and 162 bridge projects.”

The main features are as follows:

€145 million for maintenance, improvement and strengthening works;
€40 million for surface dressing;
€70 million for maintenance and strengthening works for which local authorities have complete discretion in the selection of roads;
€22.5 million for urban authorities for rehabilitation and maintenance of road and footpath pavements and urban authorities have complete discretion in the selection of projects;
€23.1 million for Specific and Strategic Regional and Local Roads Projects to meet pre-existing commitments;
€12.5 million of miscellaneous grants including Community Involvement Schemes, speed limit initiatives, bridge inspections, training;
€7.5 million for bridge rehabilitation works;
€6.1 million for Low Cost Safety Improvement Works.

“It’s important to emphasise that these grants supplement local authorities’ own spending on regional and local road projects and do not represent the total investment in regional and local roads for this year.”

The Department of the Environment is co-ordinating the Government’s overall response to environmental damage arising from the recent bad weather.
Local authorities will be informed by the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport of their specific allocations in the coming days.