Study of local and regional roads planned

The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, has commissioned a county-by-county study to identify potholes and sub-standard roads around the State.

The study, which will be carried out by RPS-MCOS consulting engineers, will assess the condition of regional roads as well as local primary, secondary and tertiary ones.

It will help prioritise investment to ensure value for every cent invested, the Minister said.

In 2003, non-national road grants will amount to some €434 million, or €4,346 for every kilometre of non-national road in the State, a 92 per cent increase on 1997 levels.

Announcing details of the study, Mr Cullen said the flyover had replaced the pothole as a symbol of Irish roads, and the Government had "broken the back" of the "age-old problem of poor quality" in the quieter, county and regional roads.

The study would be only the second report on the condition of the non-national road network, Mr Cullen said. The first, in 1996, identified clear deficiencies.

The € 1 billion investment in the intervening period under the 10-year restoration programme had resulted in improvements to more than 32,000km of non-national roads.

In addition, almost €320 million had been allocated to councils for maintenance works.

"We now have the most ambitious programme of road development anywhere in Europe," said Mr Cullen.