Progress on £5.5million investment in Dungannon area

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy has welcomed progress on investment totalling £5.5Million for maintenance and local transport and safety measures in the Dungannon area this year.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s meeting between Roads Service and Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council, the minister, in addition to the above programme, also provided an update on a number of other strategic road improvements within the borough.

The minister said: “Work to construct the A4 Dungannon to Ballygawley dual carriageway and single carriageway realignments on the Ballygawley to Aughnacloy and Ballygawley to Augher roads commenced at the beginning of the year. Construction work to date has largely focused on the Ballygawley end of the project with the excavation and reuse of one million tonnes of material. A number of structures which carry the new road over the minor roads are nearing completion namely Armalaughey Road, Goland Road and Farriter Road. Others on the Killeeshil Road, Coolhill Road and Cravenny are at various stages of construction.

“Work on the A5 Western Key Transport Corridor continues to make significant progress and on 7 November I announced details of the Preferred Corridor. Roads Service will now be developing a number of route options within the Preferred Corridor and a series of Public Consultation events will be held in early 2009 to highlight these options and to invite comments.

Between Dungannon and Cookstown the A29 Carland Bridge realignment works are now programmed to commence in May 2009 and the procurement process is currently underway.

"Schemes which have been completed this financial year include the resurfacing in asphalt of 1,800 metres of the A5 Tullyvar Road, resurfacing of the A29 Dungannon Road, Moy and bitmac resurfacing of 1,800 metres of the Whitebridge Road. Also completed has been the provision of a right turning lane on the A29 at the Moy Road / Old Moy Road junction in Dungannon and the provision of a pelican crossing at Colebrooke Road, Fivemiletown."

Road Service’s Divisional Roads Manager, Pat Doherty welcomed the continued investment in local transport and safety measures in the Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council area. These include traffic calming schemes, measures to assist pedestrians and a programme of school travel and safety projects.

Mr Doherty said: “Other schemes that will be taken forward in the current financial year include the completion of a double right turning lane and footway on the A4 at Killeeshil Crossroads and improvements to the existing footpath in Ardbeg, Dungannon.

The Roads Service report also contained the draft capital programme for 2009-2011. Schemes including junction improvements on the B43 at the Mullaghmore Road / Tullydraw Road junction and providing footway and cycle links on the Killyman Road in Dungannon.

Mr Doherty said: "Roads Service faces some very significant challenges over the next few years as it deals with the ongoing needs for road maintenance, while progressing a demanding programme of strategic road improvements. Despite these challenges, Roads Service will continue to concentrate on scheme delivery in the Cookstown District Council area.”

Notes to Editors

1. Media queries to: Emma Flynn Davies, Department for Regional Development, Press Office, Tel: 028 9054 0372