Vol. 508 No. 3
85 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the poor state of urban roads, particularly roads in housing estates; the plans, if any, he has to provide additional moneys to enable local authorities to improve these roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18722/99]
The need to accelerate the improvement of urban roads and footpaths has been a particular emphasis of non-national road grant allocations in 1999. Urban road authorities will receive almost £22 million in non-national road grants in the current year, an increase of 33 per cent over the 1998 grant payment figure and an increase of 90 per cent over the 1997 figure of £11.5 million.
The total allocation to urbans in 1999 includes £13.9 million by way of discretionary or block grants. These grants will be available to meet the cost of maintenance and improvement works on non-national roads and for a programme of footpath and carriageway repairs. A new feature of the 1999 programme is the assignment of £4.2 million of the block grant for urbans for use specifically on restoration works on carriageways and footpaths.
I intend that urban road authorities will continue to receive a fair share of the funds available for non-national roads, so that urban road needs can be systematically addressed.
