Roads Minister announces contract award for construction of A2 Maydown to City of Derry Airport dualling

Roads Minister Conor Murphy MP, MLA has announced the award of the £24million construction contract for the A2 Maydown to City of Derry Airport Dual Carriageway, to Lagan Construction Ltd.

The 6.6km scheme will provide an all purpose dual carriageway and work is expected to commence later this month, running for a period of approximately 18 months.

Announcing the contract award, the Minister highlighted the importance of this construction work

He said: “It is an important step forward for the people of the northwest, that the construction work to improve this important road connecting Derry with Belfast via Coleraine is to begin. The provision of a new all purpose dual carriageway will help to ease congestion, resulting in a safer, faster and more attractive route for traffic on the A2.

“Since taking up office in May 2007, I have been committed to delivering balanced regional infrastructure, tackling regional disparities and reversing decades of under investment in the northwest. The improvement of this road to Dual Carriageway standard is a further example of my commitment to improving infrastructure in Derry and the northwest, in line with the Executive’s priorities, to allow this region to maximise and realise its full economic potential.

“In the current economic climate, the commencement of this construction contract will be welcome news, as it will now allow workers to begin construction on this road and will no doubt contribute towards the continued economic development of the northwest.”

The scheme is being partly funded through a contribution of £4.5million from the Integrated Development Fund (IDF). Ilex the urban regeneration company for the Derry City Council area is the co-ordinating body for the Integrated Development Fund.

The new road will include three new roundabouts located at the heavily trafficked intersections at Campsey, Broadbridge and the City of Derry Airport.

Notes to Editors:

1. The A2 is part of the Northern Key Transport Corridor connecting Belfast to Derry via Coleraine. It is the main road connecting Limavady to Derry and provides links to the Maydown and Campsey industrial zones and to the City of Derry Airport, the key air transport hub in the northwest.
2. The Integrated Development Fund (IDF) is an OFMDFM initiative. It was launched on a pilot basis in August 2003. The purpose of the IDF is to provide additional support to strong wide-ranging partnerships in a small number of areas to enable the implementation of agreed comprehensive strategies to develop and rejuvenate their area and communities in an integrated way. £50million funding was initially made available for approved IDF projects for 2003-05 and a further £65million was earmarked in the 2004 Budget for the period 2005-06 to 2007-08 (£15million, £20million and £30million respectively). All formal IDF proposals require an appropriate supporting Business case/ Economic appraisal, commensurate with the cost/ scale of the proposal(s). No projects can be approved without a positive appraisal.
3. Media queries to the Department for Regional Development Press Office, Tel: 028 9054 0004. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.