WATCH VIDEO: New plans proposed for Buncrana Road upgrade

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A public information exhibition on proposed changes to the Buncrana Road took place this week and includes the closure of some roads’ direct access onto the upgraded carriageway.

The information session by the Department of Infrastructure took place on Tuesday at Da Vinci’s Hotel between 11am and 9pm outlining a ‘proposed four lane road between Pennyburn roundabout and Skeoge roundabout, a dual carriageway between Skeoge roundabout and Elagh Business Park’.

The scheme is estimated to be delivered between 2022 and 2026.

The Department of Infrastructure (DfI) say that there is an ‘ongoing liaison between the design team and local landowners, businesses and key stakeholders throughout stage 3’.

There will be no direct access for vehicles onto the upgraded Buncrana Road from Elagh Road, Balliniska Road, St Columb’s College, St John’s Park or Farren Park.

In an overview of the project on the DfI website, it is explained how the upgrade had been stalled because of a lack of funding: ‘DfI Roads initially progressed this scheme attaining approval for the preferred route through the publication of the stage 2 scheme assessment report in 2009, but was not progressed further due to lack of funding.

‘In December 2016 the then Minister for the Department, Chris Hazzard, announced a stimulus package and funding was made available to recommence scheme development with a view to taking it forward to publication of draft statutory orders and Environmental Statement.’

The DfI said that, according to a survey last year, the ‘3km urban section from Pennyburn roundabout to Skeoge roundabout carries up to 24,000 vehicles per weekday with congestion at peak periods and even at other times throughout the day’ and that ‘the 1.4km rural section from Skeoge roundabout to the Border with the Republic of Ireland carries up to 19,600 vehicles per weekday’.

The DfI have said the proposed scheme will lessen congestion, make the road better for road users and enable growth for new housing.

There will also be the creation of three new roundabouts; alongside the existing Skeoge Roundabout, Branch Roundabout and Pennyburn Roundabout will be Elagh Business Park Roundabout, Springtown Road Roundabout, and the Racecourse Road.

The DfI say: ‘This updated proposal includes the provision of a physical central median between Pennyburn Roundabout and Skeoge Roundabout thus preventing right turning movements into and out of intermediate junctions and accesses. Left-in left-out access is provided at the majority of the intermediate junctions and minor accesses with a diversion via the adjacent major all-movement junctions. ‘The rural section between Skeoge Roundabout and Elagh Business Park will also be upgraded to a 4 lane dual carriageway and have a central reserve installed to prevent right turning movements.’

All material that was available at Tuesday’s public information session is also available online and can be downloaded from www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/articles/a2-buncrana-road-londonderry-overview or you can view the Stage 2 Assessment Report at Department for Infrastructure Roads, Western Division Office, Crescent Road, Derry.

Priority

Sinn Fein Councillor Caoimhe McKnight brought a motion in April calling for Derry City and Strabane District Council to ‘engage at the highest level with the Department of Infrastructure to ensure the development of Buncrana Road is prioritised as a North West Regional Economic driver’.

She said the proposals for Buncrana Road were ‘generally received very positively by those who attended’ but that some residents had ‘specific queries for the Department’.

Cllr McKnight added: “We would also emphasise that this is only the first stage of what will be an exhaustive consultation process so there will be plenty of further opportunity for residents, businesses and the general public to make further suggestions of how the scheme can be refined to meet the needs of all stakeholders.”

For more information ring 0300 200 7894 or email [email protected].

You can also view the video of how the proposed upgrade at the Buncrana Road will look here: https://youtu.be/JiHVHGblwTc