Dear Regina,
I am writing with an update on the requested assessment of the Northern Ireland Road Network and Condition Statistics. These statistics were produced to rectify a data gap identified by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) in its report on Structural Maintenance of the Road Network. My team has found that these data are highly valued by Department for Infrastructure (DfI) users and have an excellent level of supporting technical information, which aids understanding of the condition measures, including for those users with no knowledge of this topic.
As you are aware, these statistics are still relatively new, with the first user engagement exercise since publication completed last year. The Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) is also working with DfI colleagues to develop additional statistics on road condition using data on skid resistance. In addition, the ASRB team’s awareness of the use of the statistics and users’ needs outside of DfI is still maturing.
We therefore consider that it would be beneficial to formally pause the assessment for now, to allow the planned work on additional measures to continue and a further exploration of users’ needs, particularly those outside of DfI, as the statistics develop. As part of this work, we recommend that DfI evaluate potential user need for comparisons of the trunk road network to the wider road network, which was a key focus of the audit office report.
We hope that this pause will be useful and allow time to further develop the statistics in line with your current plans. My team will keep in regular touch with you during this process and consider the most appropriate point to pick up the assessment again.
Yours sincerely,
Siobhan Tuohy-Smith
Assessment Programme Lead