Urgent repairs need to be carried out on a Douglas road or it could be destroyed in a bad winter.

That was the warning from David Ashford MHK (Douglas North), who raised concerns of the condition of the road in the House of Keys this week.

He described the road condition in Belmont Hill as ’quite serious’, and warned: ’I think, if we have a dire winter, that road will be gone.’

In the House of Keys this week, he asked whether any repair work was scheduled to be carried out on the road, which links Peel Road with St Catherine’s Drive.

And he urged Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer MHK to inspect the area for himself.

Mr Harmer said that problems with the roads around Ballakermeen High School, including Belmont Hill, were discussed with the two Douglas Central MHKs: Chris Thomas and Ann Corlett.

’Following those discussions, the department has committed to improve the surface of Belmont Hill and part of St Catherine’s Drive,’ Mr Harmer revealed.

’The timing of this work, however, is still subject to negotiations with the appropriate contractor.’

Despite a request to confirm that the work would take place before winter, Mr Harmer did not commit to a timescale.

But he said that talks with the MHKs had been productive.

Mr Harmer added: ’There has been a lot of good discussion and I would hope that we would get to a very satisfactory conclusion very soon.’