Part of a newly built 'trunk road' in Co Down has been re-excavated after subsidence.

Both lanes of the newly completed Belfast-Newry carriageway have had to be dug up after they began sinking and fresh work to excavate and rebuild the lanes at a section north of Sheepbridge is expected to add around six weeks to the expected completion date.

The Department for Regional Development (DRD) has revealed that the A1 has been affected by boggy land where large amounts of peat had been removed as problems were anticipated, but as some soft material remained, the stretch of the A1 road has been hit.

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A DRD spokesman told the Belfast Telegraph last week: Subsequent investigations indicate that small volumes of soft material still exist below the new carriageway, and is the source of the problem.

"In order to remedy the situation the construction company commenced the necessary excavations on Monday April 19 2010 and the work is likely to take up to six weeks to complete.

"There is no additional cost to the public purse associated with these remedial works," he insisted.

The scheme is designed to dual the final sections of the A1 that were not already dual carriageway.

(BMcC/GK)