Winter roads maintenance funding cut by €250,000

Almost a quarter of a million euro less has been allocated for winter road maintenance on the main roads in Westmeath for 2011, despite the fact that we have just experienced record low temperatures recently and faced, for the second consecutive winter, with shortages in supply of grit and salt for roads. The 2011 National Roads Programme was announced by Transport Minister Pat Carey on Monday, when it was revealed that just €340,000 has been allocated to Westmeath County Council for winter maintenance on national primary and secondary roads for 2011, down from €585,000 last year. This year Westmeath County Council will have just €265,000 to spend on winter maintenance on national primary roads, down from €440,000 for 2010, while the council will have a paltry €75,000 to spend on winter maintenance on national secondary roads, almost halved from last year's allocation of €145,000. And while the council faces into another year with significantly less funding for winter maintenance on the county's roads, it appears the announcement of €21.5m total funding for the county's national roads by the Minister is bolstered by the announcement of €4m for Athlone bypass, which was already announced last year. The Westmeath allocation includes €4m for overlay and rehabilitation works on the Athlone bypass, but this is not new funding for Athlone and is simply money that remains to be spent from the €7m allocated for the works last year. There is some good news, however, for Athlone as €2.64m has been allocated for bypass junction upgrades at Garrycastle, Coosan and the Ballymahon road. A further €330,000 has been allocated for pavement overlay on the N55 at The Pigeons; €140,000 for pavement overlay from Ballinahown to the county boundary with Offaly and €47,500 or road safety measures in Tubberclair. In total €21,502,835 funding has been announced for county Westmeath, with €20,4456,350 for improvement works, while €1,056,485 of the total funding allocation is for maintenance works on national and secondary roads across the county. Some €4,000 has been allocated for bridge maintenance; €231,516 for motorway maintenance; €72,275 for ordinary maintenance; €123,125 for route lighting and €265,000 for winter maintenance on national primary routes in the county. The Department of Transport has allocated a total of €360,569 for maintenance on national secondary roads - €83,571 for annual resurfacing; €3,000 for bridge maintenance; €160,352 for ordinary maintenance; €38,646 for route lighting and €75,000 for winter maintenance. In Roscommon funding of €14.5m has been announced by the Minister for 2011. The allocation under the 2011 National Roads Programme has been welcomed by Minister Michael Finneran, who said: “This is a major announcement for national primary and national secondary roads for county Roscommon. The allocation for improvement allocation is €13,320,500 and the maintenance allocation is €1,252,379.†While this is a significant allocation for the county, South Roscommon will not benefit hugely from the grants, with much of the money being invested in Ballaghaderreen bypass scheme. Some €340,000 has been allocated for pavement overlay at Carrowroe on the Athlone road and €5,000 is to be spent on traffic calming measures on the Athlone to Boyle road. Across the county €655,174 has been allocated for maintenance on national primary roads, while €597,205 has been allocated for maintenance on national secondary roads. Some €80,868 has been allocated for annual resurfacing on national roads; €5,000 for bridge maintenance; €76,111 for motorway maintenance; €292,153 for ordinary maintenance; €31,042 for route lighting and €170,000 for winter maintenance. For secondary roads some €121,633 has been allocated for annual resurfacing; €5,000 for bridge maintenance; €284,530 for ordinary maintenance; €66,042 for route lighting and €120,000 for winter maintenance.