Plans for a new active travel route on the Moneynick/Shore Road in Toomebridge have been boosted with support from the local council.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is backing the scheme, which will see the development of a shared footway/cycleway and will link outlying residential houses and the GAA club to the village.

Led by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) through their Active Travel Team, the new route will significantly improve safety and accessibility for pedestrian and cycle travel, and the Council has recommended that the scheme is extended further out of the village along the Moneynick Road. The Council's response also recommended that signage was included within the village, promoting the travel route which forms part of a larger national cycle network (NCN94).

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Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Billy Webb said: "We are fully supportive of this proposed scheme which will provide more opportunities for people to walk and cycle. As a Council, we are committed to the ongoing development of active travel routes across the Borough, which enable residents to undertake more local journeys by foot and bike. Not only does active travel provide health benefits but it also contributes to climate change, reducing congestion and improving air quality."

The scheme is programmed for next year and is subject to the acquisition of land by DfI.