Road maintenance funding shortfall
The Draft Road Maintenance Strategy, published by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in December 2025, identifies several challenges to the maintenance and management of Northern Ireland’s road network.
Discrepancies between funding allocated to DfI, and the cost of road maintenance has resulted in non-urgent maintenance not being completed. This has led to a ‘significant backlog’ of ongoing work needed to keep the road network in a satisfactory state.
It has been independently determined by Jim Barton, a UK highway expert, that DfI needs an annual maintenance budget of approximately £190 million each year, with an approximate £60 million needed additionally for essential routine maintenance activities. The strategy also states that the money received for structural maintenance programmes falls ‘significantly below’ the amount recommended.
The draft strategy has been designated into three key principles, focusing on quality maintenance, targeted investment, and sustainability. All areas have a mix of short- and long-term actions to develop a clear plan and help “define and measure performance”.
Under ‘quality maintenance’, the Department says it will focus on higher quality repairs, making roads more durable and safe. DfI says this will help “baseline the condition of the roads network” within the first year of the strategy. Other development areas include more targeted structural maintenance programmes, ensuring that the road network is protected for the future.
Through targeted maintenance investment, the Department hopes to utilise new technology through the development of baselining and decision-making tools. Long term, it aims to develop an improved suite of condition analytics which the Department hopes will refine how decisions across their operational teams are decided.
‘Sustainable maintenance’ underpins DfI’s aim to reduce its carbon footprint through development of a long-term financial plan to support maintenance efforts.
The development of a resilient road network plan is also mentioned. This plan would help determine the durability of the current road network and its recovery after adverse weather conditions and climate change. The maintenance of active travel routes such as cycle lanes and pedestrian paths is also mentioned.
Minister for Infrastructure Liz Kimmins MLA says: “This strategy is a commitment to transparency, collaboration, and accountability. It is also a starting point for dialogue.
“We must ensure that our approach to road maintenance is strategic, sustainable, and responsive to the evolving needs of the public and the environment.”
