Councillor David Herron insists the bridge, near Dromara's football pitch on the A7 Rathfriland Road, just isn't fit to cope with the weight or volume of traffic using it.

The DUP man wants plans for a costly upgrade bumped up the Roads Service priority list and to that end he has asked that Banbridge council write to Environment Minister Conor Murphy.

Roads Service officials who recently delivered their annual report to the council said that with current funding shortfalls proposed improvements to the bridge were not expected until 2010/2011.

But Mr. Herron believes that's just too long to wait.

"The bridge is too narrow and when two vehicles meet they can't pass," he said. "This is a main road from Rathfriland to Dromara and it carries a lot of traffic, some of it very heavy traffic.

"A main road like that should be in better order; its not capable of taking the traffic using it."

Mr. Herron conceded it was going to cost "a considerable amount of money" to widen the bridge and reported that when he raised the matter at the recent council meeting he was informed Roads Service currently lacked the necessary funds.

"But I believe it should be prioritised and put to the top of the list if at all possible," he said. "I want it put to the head of the list and done as a matter of urgency.

"I have asked that the council send a letter about the bridge to the Minister for the Environment," he said, "and I want the minister to take a look at it and try and get this done as soon as possible."