Not even the announcement of details of the National Development Plan have been enough to silence the chorus of criticism from road users, especially business users, about the state of the State's highways. Understandable maybe, After all, grand notions are one thing and delivery another. Even the Dublin C-ring is not assured of completion, with the tender for one of the final sections drawing little response, ensuring the exercise has to be repeated.

Still, The Margin was somewhat assuaged to learn that there are places worse than here . . . including the North. An audit report into the structural maintenance of roads there showed that authorities are spending only half of what is required to keep the roads safe. Indeed, unless more money is forthcoming, miles of rural road might have to be abandoned to unclassified status.

Spending on road maintenance north of the Border has fallen 28 per cent over the past 25 years, while traffic volumes have almost doubled. If current funding levels are maintained, some unclassified roads may not be resurfaced for over a century. Sounds like some routes down South on which The Margin travels.