Mallon announces public information events for Cookstown Bypass Scheme

Date published: 29 November 2021

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has announced details of public information events to highlight the preferred route for the A29 Cookstown Bypass and Sandholes Link Road.



DfI Minister Nichola Mallon
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon

The public and interested parties are encouraged to come along and view the exhibition, which will be held on Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 December in the Burnavon Arts and Cultural Centre, Burn Road, Cookstown between the hours of 11am to 9pm.  Due to the Covid restrictions, a booking system of half hourly time slots is in place and appointments must be made with the booking office at the Burnavon Arts and Cultural Centre at 028 867 69949 (using Option 1).

Minister Mallon said: 

“Last year I announced my intention to progress a number of strategic road improvement schemes as part of my plan to aid economic recovery and community transformation and address regional imbalance.  One of these projects was the A29 Cookstown Bypass so I am pleased that we are now in a position to provide details of the preferred route to the local community.

“The proposed route which is approximately 4km has been designed as a wide single carriageway, with overtaking opportunities in both directions.  As part of my commitment to delivering green infrastructure and providing greater opportunities for active travel I am pleased to confirm there will also be provision of a footway/cycleway along the entire scheme.  The project also includes plans to upgrade the Sandholes Link Road including the provision of a footway/cycleway.  

“The Cookstown Bypass scheme provides a significant opportunity to remove strategic traffic from the town centre of Cookstown.  In parallel with design development of the bypass scheme, it is also planned to commission a separate feasibility study on how the decongestion benefits of the proposed bypass can facilitate the enhancement and reshaping of Cookstown town centre to promote sustainable travel choices, connect people and communities and create a thriving and liveable space.

“I would encourage the local community and interested stakeholders to book into the slots for the public information events where they will have the opportunity to view the plans and discuss the details with my officials.”

The scheme exhibition and brochure can also be viewed virtually and this will be available from Tuesday 7 December via the following website: https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/articles/a29-cookstown-bypass-overview.

This will also provide an opportunity to engage with Departmental staff and the engineering consultants who can provide detail on work to date and the emerging plans to progress the scheme.

Notes to editors: 

  1. DfI Roads hopes to be in a position to publish the Draft Orders and Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) by mid-2022 and subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory processes, will then be in a position to make the Direction Order, which will afford the emerging preferred alignment protection.
  2. Delivery of the new road estimated to be between £45m to £55m and will be dependent on the successful completion of the statutory processes and the future budget availability.
  1. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at:press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
  2. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
  3. Follow the Department on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure.

 

 

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