Statement by TUV Mourne Councillor Henry Reilly:
“I have grave concerns about the state of local road. At the weekend two cyclists sustained serious injuries after hitting a pothole at Millbay near Cranfield.
“I have pointed out the importance of immediate action on fixing potholes to DRD Roads service on many occasions specifically because of the danger they represent to cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. Its not an exaggeration to say that the cyclists involved in this most recent event could have been killed.
“It is totally unacceptable that the roads have been allowed to deteriorate to such a degree that people are injured and vehicles are damaged on a regular basis. It is not good enough for the DRD to talk about promoting cycling when the reality is that rural roads are not safe for them to use.
“The executive needs to allocate sufficient funds to keep our roads safe and fit for purpose and I call on the DRD minister Michelle Mcelveen to get to grips with this this important issue.”