Council: We can only resurface roads every 39 years

Cork County Council should be fixing its entire 12,000km road network every 20 years but, due to government cutbacks, can only afford on average to do restrengthening once every 55 years and resurfacing once every 39 years.

The extent of the cutbacks on the upkeep of the county’s roads was revealed by council chief executive Tim Lucey yesterday during a debate about the number of claims made by motorists who had damaged their vehicles in potholes.

He told councillors that in 2008 the local authority contributed €17 million from its own coffers for the upkeep of roads and got a further €65m from government.

He said this year the council is contributing 85% of the funding it spent in 2008, but is now getting less than half the funding from government.

Mr Lucey said it was “recognised best international practice that roads were restrengthened and resurfaced at least once every 20 years”, but the council was unable to manage that with the funding it gets.

A report issued by council officials showed that there were 507 motorists who sought to recoup money for damage to their vehicles from the council in 2015 and up to November 2016. Of these, 270 were paid out, totalling €63,840.

The largest number of payouts was made in the Cobh/Glanmire municipal district. 47 motorists were paid a combined €10,966.

The neighbouring East Cork municipal district saw 32 motorists making successful claims totalling €11,772.

The Ballincollig/Carrigaline municipal district had the third highest payout of €10,021 for claims made by 42 motorists.

It came as a surprise to many councillors that the smallest payout was in the sprawling West Cork municipal district where 26 claimants got a combined €3,723.

Cobh-based Cllr Cathal Rasmussen said the figures for the claims in his municipal district were very high and bore out what councillors and motorists were saying about the condition of the roads there.

He also pointed out that motorists can only make a successful claim if the council has repaired a section of road that then deteriorates rapidly and causes vehicle damage.

“I accept we can’t get around to all the potholes and that funding is an issue. But my argument is that if it has to be repaired then it is done properly so the potholes don’t reopen,” Cllr Rasmussen said.

Cllr Kevin Murphy said it was taking too long to fill in potholes and, as the council had an embargo on staff recruitment, outside contractors should be brought in to help speed up the process.

Cllr Anthony Barry, who is based in Carrigtwohill, said he was “always listening to West Cork councillors complaining about their roads, but ours appear to cause more damage.”

Mr Lucey said the roads where the most claims were paid out were ones with the highest usage.