The Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service (Mr. Geoff Allister) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
Letter from Mr. Geoff Allister, dated 21 June 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a parliamentary question regarding what plans there are for major road improvements on the coastal route of the Lower Ards Peninsula at Ballywalter and Portavogie in 2006-07.
As this issue falls within my responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
The A2 coast road between Ballywalter and Portavogie is inspected regularly in accordance with Roads Service's inspection and repair procedures. The road is considered to be in a generally good condition, although the section between Ballywalter and Ballyhalbert, which is just under 5km in length, is subject to flooding at some locations during periods of heavy rainfall. Roads Service intends to commence drainage improvement works on this section during 2006-07, however, given the overall length of this section of road, it is likely that this work will continue over the next few years, with a longer-term aim to resurface the road. I would add that all proposed works will of course be subject to the availability of funding and other pressures.
The section of the route between Ballyhalbert and Portavogie was resurfaced and had new drainage installed approximately 6 years ago and there are no proposals to carry out major improvement works in 2006-07.