Drivers are veering into oncoming traffic just to avoid serious defects on a road in Crossmaglen.
Slieve Gullion area councillor Terry Hearty says he has warned the Roads Service officials that he expects equality of service and provision of resources for the south Armagh road infrastructure.
The Sinn Féin representative was voicing concerns, after failure by Roads Service to respond to his concerns raised about road defects along the Dundalk Road.
“I hope DfI Roads Service are not slipping back to their habits of previous times when mine and my colleagues concerns about road repairs faced a frustrating response time,” said councillor Hearty.
“The Dundalk Road in Crossmaglen had been reported over four weeks ago, and still nothing done. The road is in a dangerous condition with cars driving out on coming traffic to avoid very bad defects.”
Councillor Hearty said that defects on the Annamar Road and Creamery Road were reported three weeks ago and as of yet there has been no response. He has also reported defects on the Foxfield Road and Donaldson’s Road.
“When the defects are left they get bigger and deeper and more dangerous and twice as expensive to repair,” explained councillor Hearty.
Adding: “We expect an appropriate response within a reasonable timescale to all our concerns raised.
“The greatest worry I have is that the defects in our area which are looked after by the Newry Section Office do not supply the same prompt service to the section of road looked after by the Downpatrick Section Office where I’m informed faults are repaired promptly which cuts out on expense, as they say ‘a stitch in time, saves nine’.
Concluding Councillor Hearty warned: “I have been told on many occasions from senior Officials in DFI Roads that the roads under the Newry section receive the same funding as the Downpatrick Section Office.
“Presently many of us here genuinely feel that you could not compare the roads or the service.
“This is worrying. However it will not be tolerated. We will accept equality of service and provision of resources for the south Armagh road infrastructure, nothing less.”
