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Ards and North Down Borough Council has been updated by Northern Ireland's Department for Infrastructure (DfI) on a range of road maintenance and improvement projects planned for 2024/25 and 2025/26.
During the meeting on Tuesday, October 14, Divisional Roads Manager Cindy Noble outlined the Department's spending plans and priorities for the year ahead. She confirmed that the Department's Final 2025–26 Resource Budget stands at £637.1 million, an increase of £77.6 million on the previous year. The Capital Budget has also risen to £917 million, up £63.4 million from 2024–25.
Ms Noble noted that while these increases are welcome, funding remains below what is required to meet all maintenance and improvement needs. The Department will therefore continue to prioritise essential resurfacing works, roadside stability, and drainage projects.
Despite budget pressures, the Department continues to focus on local transport improvements, safety schemes, and essential maintenance to improve road conditions and support safer journeys across the borough.
Recent resurfacing projects include Belfast Road in Comber, Comber Road/South Street in Newtownards, and Clandeboye Road in Bangor, with additional work completed on Killinchy Road in Comber. Pedestrian safety has also been improved through the installation of pedestrian islands on Clandeboye Road in Bangor, an upgraded Puffin crossing at Bangor Road in Newtownards, and a new Puffin crossing at Bloomfield Road in Bangor.
Looking ahead to 2025/26, resurfacing works have been completed on Deerpark Road in Portaferry, Portaferry Road in Newtownards, and further improvements to Killinchy Road in Comber. Footway resurfacing schemes are progressing in areas including High Street in Portaferry and Blenheim Drive in Newtownards, alongside pedestrian safety enhancements such as an uncontrolled crossing on Killinchy Road in Comber.
The Department is also extending part-time 20mph zones to a further 40 schools across Northern Ireland in 2025, bringing the total to 273 schools since 2020/21. Two of these new schemes are planned for the Ards and North Down area, reinforcing the Department's commitment to safer routes for children and families.
