Aontú Deputy Leader and East Derry Representative Gemma Brolly has described the situation regarding Kilrea Bann Bridge as a "crisis".
She said that the "ongoing disruption is the result of years of silence, neglect and the conplete sidelining or rural people".
Ms Brolly who added that she was "born and raised two miles from the Antrim side of the bridge and now lives on the Derry side" said she has "witnessed every ounce of the pain and pressure caused by the collapse of this essential route".
"The Kilrea Bann Bridge is not just a structure or a shortcut. It is a lifeline—a bridge that connects two counties, thousands of people, local businesses, carers, workers, schoolchildren and emergency services. Its deterioration has caused real financial hardship, emotional strain and social disruption. And one thing is absolutely certain—we can never be here again," said Ms Brolly.
"The bridge is more than 240 years old and was never designed for modern traffic. It has been pushed far beyond its limits while those responsible ignored repeated warnings," she added.
“This is a 240-year-old bridge. It was never built for heavy vehicles, for agricultural machinery, for the traffic it carries today—and yet we allowed it to shoulder that burden without the investment, the protection or the foresight it deserved. We are now living with the consequences of years of avoidance and delay.
"Local anger has intensified over the abandoned feasibility study completed in 2022. Its treatment is nothing short of scandalous.
“The Executive had a feasibility study in their hands in 2022. They had the information, the evidence and the opportunity to act. Instead, it was shushed, quietly buried and never meaningfully discussed with the public. That silence is why we are where we are today. Rural communities are supposed to be protected under the Rural Needs Act—yet our needs were ignored, dismissed and sidelined.
"The scale of the impact has been consistently understated by government departments. DfI, DAERA and the Department for Communities refused support for local businesses based on the claim that fewer than 5,000 people were affected. That statement alone shows how disconnected they are from rural reality. Anyone from here knows that when you include Kilrea, Rasharkin, all the surrounding townlands and the sheer number of people who rely on this bridge every single day, the figure is far beyond 5,000. This excuse was pathetic—and it came at the expense of people trying to keep their doors open," said Ms Brolly.
The Aontú deputy leader also expressed particular disappointment that the only public meeting held during the entire crisis was organised by local businesses, not by councillors, MLAs or government departments, although they did attend.
“It should never fall on local retailers—already suffering because of the disruption—to organise the only public meeting. Where were the elected representatives in the organisation of this? Where were the departments? People deserved to be met face-to-face. They deserved answers. They deserved the truth. Instead, all they got were sporadic statements and photo opportunities from afar. That is not leadership," she said.
Ms Brolly warned that the partial reopening to light goods vehicles “must not soften the urgency,” noting that days after she wrote to DfI on November 22 seeking clarity on monitoring arrangements, a vehicle became stuck attempting to cross.
She added: “How are we still dealing with this in 2025? A vehicle was stuck on the bridge within days of me asking DfI about safety measures. This shows exactly how precarious the situation still is. Temporary fixes cannot be allowed to lull anyone into complacency. This bridge is too old, too worn and too fragile to meet our future needs. A new bridge is the only solution.”
"I am now urging the public to intensify pressure for a replacement bridge.
“Government acts when people push. If our community wants to make absolutely certain that we never face disruption like this again, then we must raise our voices louder than ever before. We must lobby. We must demand accountability. We must refuse to be ignored any longer.”
In a direct appeal to elected representatives Ms Brolly has requested a public meeting organised this time by any one or all of our elected representatives residents in order to address the concerns of the public and plans for the the future.
She has also appealed to the public themselves, businesses, workers and all who rely on the bridge.
Gemma Brolly on Kilrea Bann Bridge.
. Share it with your family, neighbours, colleagues. Speak to your councillors, your MLAs, your MPs. Ask them exactly what they are doing—not what they hope to do, not what they may consider doing, but what they will do—to deliver a new bridge.
"We will never get action from the Executive unless we demand it. Rural communities deserve safety. They deserve support. They deserve infrastructure that values their lives as much as anyone else’s. We have suffered enough. It is time for results.”
