Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Diana Armstrong has welcomed confirmation that £70,000 has been spent on road resurfacing in Moygashel in the last five years, but says more needs to be done.
The figure was confirmed by the Minister for Infrastructure Liz Kimmons following a recent visit by Ms Armstrong to the Co. Tyrone village, where she spoke with local residents and business owners.
Many residents were dissatisfied with the state of the roads and pointed out numerous rough patches and areas where repairs had been carried out carelessly.
Responding to an Assembly question from the Ulster Unionist Party MLA, the Minister noted that due to a “difficult financial environment” other areas had to be prioritised over Moygashel, focused on those “most in need of intervention”.
The Minister said: “My Department has been operating in a difficult financial environment for a number of years due to underfunding and austerity by the British Government and this has had a significant impact on its ability to deliver essential services such as road maintenance.
“There are many roads that would undoubtedly benefit from investment, including those in Moygashel Village, however, due to a limited budget, resurfacing work must be taken forward through the prioritisation of those deemed most in need of intervention.”
It’s understood the roads are inspected regularly, and roadworks will soon commence in other areas of Dungannon, such as the Granville and Coalisland Roads, as they have been deemed to be in worse condition.
Ms Armstrong commented: “It’s good to see that Moygashel has benefited from resurfacing in recent years but I fear that more work still needs to be done.
“Moygashel is a lively village and a main thoroughfare for both Dungannon town and retail, with the thriving Linen Green proving a popular attraction.
“It is imperative that Moygashel is treated on equal footing with other parts of the Dungannon area to ensure it is not left behind.
“I recently spoke with a number of residents who all were concerned about the state of the roads, and I saw with my own eyes the real need for further maintenance. I will continue to engage with the Department for Infrastructure and the Moygashel community to see this through.”
