To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether her Department monitors the lifespan of pothole repairs, carried out by road maintenance contractors on its behalf.

I recently launched our new Road Maintenance Strategy, which is now open for public consultation. While the main objectives of the strategy are to improve the overall condition of the road network and enhance safety and quality, the provision of a ground-breaking full digital survey of the North’s entire road network will provide a level of detail that will allow my officials to take data-driven, efficient decisions and interventions.

While the quality of repairs is monitored as part of routine highway inspections, the new Road Maintenance Strategy will be a major advance in the assessment of the condition and durability of repairs on the network as well as the performance of reinstatements associated with utility openings.