Phil Flanagan pictured in Boho beside a raised verge to help prevent flooding.
TRANSPORT NI must find a comprehensive solution to solve the flooding problem in Boho once and for all.
That’s the view of local Sinn Fein MLA Phil Flanagan, who visited the area this week. In last week’s Herald we reported on work undertaken by Transport NI to install raised verges in Samsonagh, a notorious flood spot for decades, but Mr Flanagan insists this does not address the root of the problem.
“I am amazed that this constitutes a solution by Transport NI.
They are solving a problem of cars floating away by ignoring the fact that the road flooding is the actual cause of it.
“This stretch of road floods several times a year and Roads Service, now Transport NI, are well aware of that. They have raised the road in recent years as a result of flooding in 2009, but it has not being raised high enough to prevent it flooding.
“This road needs raised to an appropriate level to allow local residents and land owners to safely access their homes and farms. They are deeply frustrated at the continuing failure to address this issue.
“Putting in raised verges to stop cars floating away or indicate the exact position of the side of the road is laudable, but it is certainly not an attempt to deal with the issue of flooding at all.”
Mr Flanagan has raised the issue with Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy in Stormont regarding the matter and the Minister stated the work was “not intended to prevent future flooding of the road or prevent damage to vehicles during flood events, but is intended to help delineate the edge of the road in a flood situation”.
The local MLA said he was ‘completely dissatisfied’, with the minister’s response and will not let the issue lie.
“This is not an acceptable approach in my opinion. The people who rely on this road need a much more comprehensive solution and I will continue to put pressure on DRD to fund such works.”
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