Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has unveiled a new Road Maintenance Strategy aimed at raising the standard of upkeep across Northern Ireland's roads, extending the lifespan of repairs and making greater use of modern technology to direct funding more effectively.

Speaking as the strategy was published, Minister Kimmins said: "Our roads underpin every aspect of our daily lives. They create jobs and drive economic growth by making business possible and connecting communities.

"I recognise the importance of maintaining and improving this valuable asset and a considerable volume of work has already been done in terms of repairs and resurfacing. We all want our roads to be better and to achieve that, we must be ambitious and innovative in equal measure, using the resources we have in a more targeted and effective way. "The new maintenance strategy sets out how we can get there. We are moving in a new direction, one that will lead to a better quality of maintenance and longer lasting repairs. We will harness the latest technology to target resources where they are needed most, which will in turn ensure we are delivering the best possible value for public money."

With approximately 26,000 km of road to manage, officials acknowledge there is no immediate solution to every defect, but emphasise that new tools and data will help focus maintenance where it will have the greatest impact.

The Minister added: "The new approach to maintenance will have three fundamental principles at its heart – higher quality, timely and durable maintenance targeted where it is needed using new technology to assist with monitoring the condition of the network. Environmental sustainability will be embedded into our practices, using environmentally sustainable materials where appropriate, and designing interventions that are resilient to climate change.

"Equally, this strategy is about financial sustainability and ensuring that we invest in our infrastructure assets for the wider benefit of all."

The Road Maintenance Strategy and consultation report can be accessed at: www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/road-maintenance-strategy-and-consultation-report