Fermanagh and Omagh District councillors have this week reported incidents of dangerous road surfaces across the district, calling on the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to take action.
Damage to road surface on Toneyvarnog Road in Co. Fermanagh.
Speaking to this newspaper, Sinn Fein councillor Chris McCaffrey highlighted the surface defects on the Toneyvarnog Road in Derrylin, which he has reported to the DfI Roads Service.
Commenting that the road has “been allowed to deteriorate into an unacceptable and dangerous state”, Councillor McCaffrey added: “The road is practically impassable for motorists as the surface defects cover the full width of the road. Motorists are now having to use the road verge to pass the defects.
Chris McCaffrey, Sinn Fein..
“This is not good enough and it needs to be addressed before a serious incident occurs.
Damage to road surface on Toneyvarnog Road in Co. Fermanagh.
“Rural road users pay the same road tax as everyone and at the very least our people deserve adequate and safe roads to drive on,” he said, commenting that “numerous reports” have been made to DfI Roads Service regarding this issue: “I am demanding that this road is urgently repaired and brought up to the proper and correct standard that motorists should expect.”
Damage to road surface on Toneyvarnog Road in Co. Fermanagh.
Responding to The Impartial Reporter when asked when this road surface will be repaired, a DfI spokesperson said: “The Department was notified of two potholes on Toneyvarnog Road on January 3 and arranged a temporary repair that evening.
“Any permanent repairs will be undertaken in accordance with established timescales.”
Outlining what a “temporary repair” involves, the DfI spokesperson clarified: “A temporary repair is used to make a defect safe until resources can be allocated to complete a more permanent repair. A temporary repair is usually used for defects reported during out of hours periods.”
Elsewhere in the district, Independent Councillor Eamon Keenan was raising the issue of potholes on the Grogey Road, Moan’s Cross, Fivemiletown following a “plethora of complaints, particularly from people who have damaged their cars in these potholes”.
Councillor Eamon Keenan highlighting potholes on Grogey Road, Moan’s Cross, Fivemiletown.
Councillor Keenan has reported the issue to the DfI who has ensured him that they will “fix the problem”.
The DfI spokesperson said: “The Department was notified of potholes on Grogey Road in December 2022 and has arranged to inspect the road and prioritise any defects meeting current intervention levels for repair in accordance with established timescales.”
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