Transport Minister Conor Murphy has welcomed Roads Service’s progress on investment totalling £12million in the Derry City Council area this year.

Speaking ahead of this afternoon's meeting between Roads Service and Derry City Council, the Minister said: "Roads Service is committed to ensuring that it can make best use of our resources and continue to deliver quality public services."

The Minister noted that improvement works have been substantially completed on the A2 Maydown to City of Derry Airport Dualling scheme.

He said: "The completion of this £25million project will be an important step forward for the people of the northwest. The new dual carriageway will help ease congestion, resulting in a safer, faster and more attractive route.

"The improvement of this road to dual carriageway standard is a further example of my commitment to improving infrastructure in Derry and the northwest, in line with the Executive’s priorities, to allow this region to maximise and realise its full economic potential.

"The scheme involved upgrading 6.6km of the A2 between Campsey and the City of Derry Airport to dual carriageway standard. The new road includes three new roundabouts located at the heavily trafficked intersections at Campsey, Broadbridge and the City of Derry Airport."

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The Minister said: “Traffic signals at the junction of Great James St and Strand Road have been upgraded, a new pelican crossing and a bus layby provided at Rossville Street. In conjunction with the Public Realm scheme, five additional disabled parking spaces and four loading bays have been provided in the city centre. Victoria Market car park has been converted to Pay & Display and Foyle Street car park has been returned to a barrier car park. Wig-Wag signals have been provided on Crescent Link to enhance safety at the Fire and Rescue Station and plans for a Residents Parking Scheme in the Bogside are currently at the legislative stage.

"Over three kilometres of resurfacing has been completed in the Derry City Council area so far in this year. Resurfacing schemes have been completed at Victoria Road, Crawford Square, Corrody Drive (Corrody Road to Trench Road), Northland Drive, Rock Road (Northland Road to Strand Road), Gleneen Park, Redwood and Church Street, Claudy. Further schemes are planned for Duke Street Roundabout, Pennyburn Roundabout, Gortscriggan Road and Duddys Court."

Divisional Roads Manager, Deidre Mackle said: "A wide range of local schemes have been successfully planned and delivered in the Derry City council area in the past 12 months. The ever tightening public expenditure environment in this current year is challenging. Despite this, Road Service remains committed to developing a programme of high priority road improvement and maintenance schemes for the council area; so that these can be delivered as resources permit.”

Ms Mackle also commented on progress of the scheme to significantly enhance capacity and traffic throughput at Culmore roundabout with the provision of an enlarged signalised gyratory junction. Phase 1 of the scheme, preparatory works to enlarge the existing roundabout is complete while Phase 2, construction of the enlarged roundabout and the introduction of traffic signal control is expected to start in March. It is anticipated that works will be completed by the end of the summer.

Development work is continuing on the A6 Derry to Dungiven scheme.

(GK)