DfI Urged To Review All Grass Verges And Hedgerows

Sinn Féin is urging the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to review all grass verges and hedgerows at road junctions and roundabouts to ensure optimal road safety, particularly in Randalstown and Antrim.

MLA Declan Kearney said: "I have become increasingly concerned about road safety at various rural road junctions and roundabouts in Antrim and Randalstown. Sight lines have been obscured by poor maintenance of grass verges and overgrown hedgerows. A number of constituents have contacted me directly about this problem.


"I fully support the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) policy of balancing the promotion of biodiversity with safe and effective maintenance of the road network, and I acknowledge the associated benefits for wildlife habitats.

"However, this balance has not been achieved at many local rural junctions. Overgrown grass verges and hedges are impeding sight lines and creating significant safety issues for motorists and other road users. With the warmer summer weather to date, this has become more of a problem in Antrim and Randalstown.

"I have therefore asked DfI officials to review the maintenance programme and urgently ensure all sight lines are maintained to an acceptable and safe standard. I have been reassured by Departmental colleagues that the necessary resources will now be applied to address this situation."