Over £5 million was spent compensating drivers for damage to their vehicles last year due to the condition of Northern Ireland’s roads.
The figure was quoted by Newry and Armagh MLA William Irwin at the Northern Ireland Assembly, when he quizzed Roads Minister Liz Kimmins on what he believed to be a far from satisfactory situation.
It was a shared dismay, as Minister Kimmins admitted she would rather see the “huge” amount of money spent on compensating drivers for damage caused by surface defects “invested in our road network” instead.
Mr Irwin told the Assembly that the money handed out to cover the cost of damage to vehicles from a single road
defect “far outweighs the cost of a timely repair by DFI Roads”.
And, having said that, he asked the Minister is she would “fully commit to reducing the bill for vehicle damage compensation payouts by ensuring that road defects are repaired in a timelier manner to avoid the colossal overspend on compensation”.
The Minister responded: “In relation to road defects and their impact on road users, particularly where a vehicle has
been damaged, it is my objective to reduce the need for compensation and, instead, see proper investment in our roads, including rural roads, which, as the Member will be aware, are a key element of our shared constituency.
“There is a need to invest better in order to have better road surfaces.”
She said the Department for Infrastructure was finalising its road maintenance strategy, which looked for “smarter decisions to be taken that will result in more resilient road maintenance”, which would “hopefully address” some
of the issues raised.
Minister Kimmins added: “As I have said previously, it has already been piloted in one council area, and we have seen the benefits of that, including improved and more resilient road surfaces. My focus is on seeing that investment directed into the network, including for maintenance and for ongoing work on tackling the defects.”
When the figure of £5 million for compensation over the past year was quoted by Mr Irwin, the Minister said: “That is a huge amount of money and I would rather it was invested in our road network. I am determined to see that happen in the time ahead.”
