Rural roads' decline increasing compensation claims, says MLA

Compensation claims against the Roads Service across the North are on the rise because rural roads are "going to pot", it was claimed today.

Mid Ulster Assembly member Patsy McGlone said the number of claims for issues such as vehicle damage over the last two years were nearly 50% higher than those experienced in 2004 to 2006.

The SDLP representative said this tallied with a rise in complaints from his constituents over the supposed worsening of road surfaces and increased potholes in his rural constituency.

“I am receiving complaints from constituents about rural roads that seem to be more and more neglected,” he said.

“My concern is over the cost of compensation and associated time in administration – and legal costs if a claim is challenged.

“The cost would fill a number of holes and put down decent surfaces.”

Mr McGlone secured figures from the Department for Regional Development for the number of compensation claims made against Roads Service in recent years.

The financial year 2003/04 recorded 829 claims, but in the 2004/05 the figure was 610 and in 2005/06 there were 652 claims.

The figure jumped again in 2006/07 which saw 910 claims, while 2007/08 saw 891 claims.

Mr McGlone said the trend of the last two years reflected anecdotal evidence from his constituency that rural roads were in increasingly poor condition.

“Action needs to be taken,” he said, “because rural roads are going to pot.”