Vol. 506 No. 2
292 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the extent of public dissatisfaction regarding the state of the county road network; his views on whether the level of expenditure on maintenance and improvement of county roads is sufficient; the proposals, if any, he has to deal with this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14890/99]
The non-national roads network, including county roads, has benefited from unprecedented and systematic attention in recent years. A national pavement condition survey has been carried out to assess the scale and incidence of non-national roads needs in county areas. Greater efficiency is being brought to local authority road work operations.
Significantly increased financing is also being made available to improve non-national roads. Some £237 million has been allocated from the local government fund for non-national roads in 1999, an increase of over £37 million or nearly 19 per cent on the 1998 allocation and £59 million or 33 per cent on the 1997 figure. The 1999 allocation includes £138 million for the restoration programme, an increase of over £20 million on last year's restoration programme allocation and £45 million on the 1997 programme.
At the end of 1998, some 24,000 kms of non-national road had been improved/maintained under the restoration programme since its inception in 1995. This represents almost 28 per cent of the entire network of regional and local roads in county council areas. A further 10,500 kms will be improved/maintained in 1999. This clearly demonstrates the rapid progress being made and the Government's continuing commitment to the non-national roads programme.
