Councillor Paul Fleming (on right) with members of Kevin Lynch Cumann in Park and Craigbane.
Rural communities will be adversely affected if Department of Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy carries out his threat not to repair street lighting and carry out essential road maintenance, Derry Sinn Fein Councillor Paul Fleming has said.
Cllr Fleming said if Mr Kennedy carries through with the threat many rural roads would become “unsafe or impassable.”
Cllr Fleming said: “At present rural communities are at a disadvantage as the condition of the roads are inferior to those in urban areas due to heavy machinery using narrow roads.
“If the minister carries out his threat to refuse to carry out essential maintenance then many of these roads will become unsafe or impassable.
“With a rising death toll on our rural road network we actually should be looking at improving the quality of these roads as opposed to threatening to stop maintenance.
“If gullies are not cleared regularly then we also face the prospect of flooding which will result in further cost to the department in the long run.”
Cllr Fleming concluded: “I am also concerned if street lighting deteriorates then many people including children going to school in the dark winter months will be at risk of serious injury or death.”
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