Derry road plans put back to 2021

A recently-shelved scheme to widen the Buncrana Road in Derry to four lanes will not be looked at again until 2021, it has been learned. It was revealed in February the scheme would not be going ahead as there was no money left for it due to the green light being given to the £400m A6 dual carriageway from Derry to Dungiven. The Buncrana Road widening scheme would have seen the existing road – one of the city’s most congested - from Pennyburn Roundabout to Skeoge Link Roundabout widened to four lanes and will provide a dual carriageway from Skeoge Roundabout to the Border with the Republic of Ireland. The scheme was first announced in February 2009 by the then Transport Minister, Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy. However, it was revealed in February that the £40-50 million needed to complete the Buncrana Road scheme is no longer available due to priority being given to getting the A6 and A5 on track. The admission came from Conor Loughrey, the divisional manager for Transport NI's Western Division, at a special meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Environment and Regeneration Committee. Transport NI has now said he there were no plans to look at the scheme again until 2021. “The proposed improvement of the A2 Buncrana Road between Pennyburn Roundabout and the Border with the republic of Ireland is included within the Regional Strategic Transportation Network Transport Plan,” a spokesperson said. “However, whilst the preferred alignment was announced in 2009 there is no provision within the 2017-2021 for the commencement of construction. The spokesperson added than even then, the road widening scheme would only go ahead if funding is made available. “Progress will be dependent on availability of finance through future budgetary settlements.”