Sinn Féin has hit out at the Conservatives after being told there is no more money being invested in structural maintenance between now and the end of the financial year in Northern Ireland.

Infrastructure spokesperson Philip McGuigan said maintenance of NI's road network and infrastructure is coming under increased pressure as a result of Tory cuts.

He said: "Employers and firms that work within the road maintenance industry are already feeling the force of budget cuts and are predicting job losses.

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"The Tory government, now supported by the DUP, have taken over a billion pounds out of public services in the North over the last seven years.

"The impact of these Tory cuts to the road network is also clear to see with the standard of road surface decreasing and the number of potholes increasing.

"The weather too is severely testing our drainage infrastructure and this certainly isn't helped by the reduction of gully cleaning. Grass verge cutting is another issue where the Tory cuts have affected the level of service provided.

"The impact on street lighting across the North is also easily recognisable and the length of time for street light repairs looks like it is going to increase. Coming into the longer evenings this is unacceptable.

"None of this bodes well as we enter the winter period when our road network and infrastructure meets its biggest challenge."

(CD/LM)