BY ADRIAN MULLAN
A LOCAL MLA is demanding action from the Department of Regional Development Roads Service over the deplorable conditions of local roads, especially the Laragh Road in Beragh.
Sinn Féin's Barry McElduff said he has spoken to senior Roads Service officials after a constituent counted no fewer than 108 potholes in a short stretch of road near a primary school.
He also highlighted other priority roads in Mid Tyrone including the Whitebridge Road, running from Carrickmore to Ballygawley, as well as the Altamuskin Road.
Mr McElduff said he drove on the Laragh Road himself after a constituent alerted him.
"The Laragh Road is in a disgraceful condition and would certainly compete strongly for the title of the 'worst road in Tyrone'," said the local MLA. "I have since spoken to Senior Roads Service Officials this week about the urgent need to upgrade and resurface the Laragh Road. It should be noted that St Oliver Plunkett's Primary School is located on the Laragh Road.
"I have been told by local people of a history of accidents on this road, caused by motorists trying to avoid potholes and ending up in the bog as a result. As far as I am concerned, DRD Roads Service needs to secure a greater budget and needs to deploy more staff in order to address the condition of rural roads."
January, February, and March, with the winter conditions in those months, are the optimum times for pot holes to occur.
With some 8,600 kilometres of Road in the Western Division or one third of the whole road network in Northern Ireland, Roads Service could only say that it has to direct its priorities to main roads.
Mr McElduff said, "At the end of the day, this is about the people who use these roads on a daily basis and who are greatly inconvenienced by the deteriorating condition of our rural roads network. It is my strong belief that the millions of pounds generated by the payment of motor tax in County Tyrone should be spent on maintaining the rural roads in County Tyrone. I have written to the Minister with responsibility for Regional Development and also to the Western Divisional Roads Manager to highlight the need for more money for rural roads."
Meanwhile, the Sinn Féin MLA has advised local motorists not merely to drive over and around potholes and then curse them but to contact Roads Service directly to report these potholes and other surface problems which might only be picked up otherwise by Roads Service in inspections which take place every four months.
