THE SDLP’s Mark H Durkan says he is disappointed by the Department for Infrastructure’s response to requests for fix broken street lighting across Derry, citing ‘severely reduced’ funding which has resulted in cutbacks to its maintenance service.
Currently DfI can only prioritize ‘electrical and structural emergencies’ or ‘group outages.’
Said the Foyle MLA: “After highlighting numerous street light outages throughout the city, DfI have informed me that due to budgetary and resourcing pressures effective since October, only emergency requests can be prioritized at this time.
“Evidently, financial constraints are restricting services throughout the department’s Western division.
“In August this year, I received a similar response in relation to urgent gully maintenance for Eglinton.
“Whilst there is no question that the department are struggling under a heavy workload and increasingly diminishing resources, given the darker winter evenings, it is completely unacceptable that repairs for street-lighting cannot be secured.
“And as a result, residents’ feeling of safety and security within the areas in which they live, cannot be safeguarded.
“I have been told there is currently an accumulated backlog of defective lights, which cannot be addressed until resources become available.
“This is unfortunately a typical response of late.
“And it serves as yet another example, albeit comparatively minor, of how the lack of an Assembly is impacting the workings of people’s daily lives.
“Whether it’s street-lighting or hospital waiting lists, the ability to access services continues to deteriorate.
“Resolving the smaller matters affecting our cities and towns is vital if we are to tackle the larger issues affecting the North.
“The public are fed up with the lack of delivery – we can’t dance around a return to government any longer.
“People care about sorting issues on the ground; to have functioning street-lights, to access services as and when needed.
“Purported red lines are of little to no consequence when we can’t deliver on the basics,” added the former Stormont Minister.
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