The wait goes on... Forty year campaign to have bypass built around Derry village to go on

The Minister for the Department of Infrastructure, Chris Hazzard, has said a bypass around Moneymore in Co Derry is not considered as “high priority” as the volume of traffic travelling through the village is not ‘excessive’.

The Sinn Féin Minister made the comment in response to an assembly question from SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone.

The MLA asked the Minister to outline what measures his Department had planned to alleviate traffic congestion.

Moneymore (pictured) has for decades, experienced high volumes of traffic. However since the opening of the new Magherafelt bypass, levels of traffic has increased especially at peak times causing a bottleneck.

Plans for a bypass for the village was first proposed some 40 years.

Responding to Mr McGlone’s question, Minister Hazzard said traffic counts were currently being conducted.

“It is considered that traffic delays through the village of Moneymore are not excessive even during peak times and are of a similar nature to those experienced in many small and medium sized towns across the North,” he said.

He continued: “The recently completed Magherafelt Bypass provides an important link and journey time savings for those travelling from Moneymore towards the A6 but it may have increased traffic flow through Moneymore. Traffic counts are currently being carried out to measure any change in traffic flows in Moneymore following the opening of Magherafelt Bypass.

“Given the financial constraints, there is clearly a need to prioritise projects and a bypass of Moneymore would not be considered as high a priority as other strategic roads projects across the north of Ireland.” said.

Mr McGlone has expressed his disappointment at the Minister’s response.

He said: “The Infrastructure Minister’s response to my assembly question on traffic congestion in Moneymore is disappointing.

“Despite acknowledging that the recently opened bypass at Magherafelt may have increased traffic flow through Moneymore, he does not consider the delays motorists are experiencing to be excessive.

“Perhaps if he was travelling through the town on a regular basis he might have a different opinion.

“Local people and regular commuters in the area who have to use the route do consider the delays to be excessive,” he said.

Mr McGlone concluded: “I will continue to lobby the Minister on the need for his department to introduce measures at Moneymore to address traffic congestion in the town.”