By Violet Brown
THE Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has been praised for their ‘joined up approach’ carrying out a resurfacing scheme around the slipway and terminal in Portaferry while the ferry service has been suspended.
The scheme involving carriageway on The Strand, Castle Street, Loughshore Road and the ferry service turning circle and queuing area started on Monday, October 14 and it is hoped it will be completed by November 15.
The investment in the centre of Portaferry has been welcomed by Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen and peninsula alderman Robert Adair. The two politicians have promised to continue to lobby for more improvement to address the poor condition of roads in the Ards peninsula, particularly the Deer Park Road in Portaferry.
Speaking of the ‘chronic underinvestment’ in the roads infrastructure across the Strangford constituency in recent years, Ms McIlveen said this was particularly the case in the Ards peninsula. “Given the density of population in this constituency and the resulting amount of traffic our roads inevitably end up in a very poor state,” she said. “I am pleased to welcome this re-surfacing scheme for the centre of Portaferry, however more investment is needed and the disproportionately low allocation of funds into this constituency needs to be addressed.”
Mr Adair said it ‘made sense’ to do these works now and to minimise disruptions to service users during the time of ferry works. “It shows joined up thinking on behalf of DfI who proactively sourced funding to enhance and improve the roads network on the Ards peninsula.”
His council colleague Joe Boyle has also welcomed the ‘joined-up thinking’ of DfI, promising to lobby for more investment in the Ards peninsula infrastructure. “I welcome the joined up thinking approach to resurface and invest in the location during the period of the unavailability of the normal Strangford Ferry Service – this joined up thinking is exactly how significant delivery can and does take place,” he said. “I will certainly be continuing to lobby for further investment throughout our infrastructures in the Ards Peninsula and to try and further demonstrate this joined up thinking approach.”
