A Sinn Féin MLA has called for stronger legislation to deal with Government departments and Utility companies who are destroying Belfast’s streets and roads.

Fra Mc Cann was speaking after last weeks Social Development committee at which the response to the committee’s enquiry into town centre regeneration was being discussed with DSD officials.

"It is time strong action is taken against the guilty parties who are continuously digging up roads and footpaths without properly repairing them; you only have to walk along any street or road in the city and their handy work is there to see," said Cllr McCann.

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"You need only look at the occasion when work had just been completed with new expensive paving haven been laid in and around Cornmarket and with in several days of the completion of this work a utility company came along and dug part of the surface up and to make matters worse they replaced their work with Tar-Mac.

"A number of people including local politicians complained about this complete disregard by utilities and some departments at the time."

He continued: "This work should be done as part of an overall strategic approach to environmental improvement and urban regeneration.

"If this work is essential then it needs to be replaced like for like and the offending utility pays for the replacement because as things currently stand they are not even liable for that.

"When we look at cities and towns across the world when they are relaying or replacing roads, streets or footpaths ducts are installed so utilities and departments can lay what ever cable with out destroying the roads and footpaths. I am sure if there was stricter control and heavy fines for breaches of regulations then more care would be taken."

(NS/BMcC)