A new plan will reclassify Irish roads to help with future maintenance and development of road networks.
Minister for Local Government Kevin Boland has announced a reclassification of the existing road network. The reclassification is based on the latest information on traffic flows and conditions along the road network.
The objective of the reclassification is to make sure that in future the correct priorities are followed in road maintenance and development.
Roads named as national primary routes are the country's main transport arteries linking the four provinces and together they total about fifteen hundred miles.
Under the reclassification, the local authorities remain responsible for the upkeep of the roads in their area. In addition, there is no increase in funding for roads. However, in future, road arterial improvement grants will be entirely devoted to national primary roads.
The second most important road network is classified as the National Secondary System which compliments the primary network. Local authorities have been advised that grants for main roads should be used predominantly for secondary roads.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 24 July 1969. The reporter is Donal Kelly.
