Alliance is calling on the Department of Infrastructure to plan ahead to meet essential public safety requirements.

MLA Kellie Armstrong made the call after it was revealed that the £43million allocated to resurface and maintain roads has almost ran out, months before the end of the financial year.

She said: "The Department for Infrastructure is responsible for the maintenance of roads and to keep them safe, effective and reliable. Given this assessment of its budget, we need to have clarification that safety will not be put in jeopardy.

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"While I appreciate the Department will be doing its best to deliver routine maintenance within its allocated budget, they must also plan ahead to meet essential public safety requirements. It is no longer appropriate for them to manage road maintenance through in-year budget hand-outs. There needs to be an appropriate balance between new road building and maintenance.

"Previous Ministers have recognised the need for planned maintenance but have chosen to invest in some projects more for populism than practicalities. Northern Ireland needs a safe road network with a planned maintenance programme, not waiting until roads are in crisis before repairing them."

(CD/LM)