To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) how many pavements in North Down are paved with flag stones; and (ii) the number of people who have been injured on uneven pavements in North Down, in each of the last three years.

My Department does not maintain details of the number of pavements in North Down which are paved with flag stones, however, I can advise that there are approximately 277,000 square metres of flagged footway within the Ards and North Down Council area.

My Department also does not maintain details of the number of people injured on the road network, however, it does maintain information on public liability claims by Roads Section Office area which broadly align with Council areas. The Ards and North Down Section Office area covers the Ards and North Down Council area. The table below provides details of the number of public liability personal injury claims received in each of the last three full financial years (as at 30 September 2022) for which the Department’s Claims Management System has recorded the accident as occurring on a public footway. Please note that as cases progress updated information is often obtained on defect type, incident location and other matters pertaining to a case, therefore, data in the Claim Management System may be subject to change:

It should be noted that these figures relate to the numbers of claims received and do not provide any indication of subsequent liability on the Department. In all cases the Department will investigate and defend public liability claims, with every case turning on its own facts, however it may ultimately up to the courts to decide if the Department has any liability.

Should you have any further questions on this matter, please contact DfI Roads Southern Division at: dfiroads.southern@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk.