A public information event for the A29 Cookstown Bypass Scheme has been held by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in Cookstown.

Chair of the Mid Ulster District Council Councillor Dominic Molloy, Chief Executive Adrian McCreesh, local Councillors, members of the Mid South West Growth Deal Governance Steering group Keith Buchanan MLA and Francie Molloy MP attended the event. The works which have been completed to date and the next steps in progressing the scheme were discussed.

The inclusion of The Bypass in the proposed Mid South West Growth Deal aims to alleviate traffic congestion in Cookstown town centre, decrease travel durations along the A29 link corridor, boost road safety and improve the environment of the town centre. The decongestion benefits of the scheme will also provide significant opportunities for the improvement and reshaping of Cookstown town centre to promote sustainable travel choices.

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Minister for Infrastructure, John O'Dowd stated: "I welcome the positive engagement from the local community and elected representatives during the public information event for the Cookstown Bypass Scheme and would encourage anyone with an interest in the scheme to respond to the ongoing public consultation. I will continue to work closely with Mid South West Region partners to progress the scheme in line with my statutory obligations."

Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Dominic Molloy welcomed the start of the consultation period, said: "While we know that this is only the start of a journey, it is pleasing to see progress being made on this much needed scheme, which the Council has been advocating for over a number of years. The scheme is pivotal to the region’s economic growth and will have significant benefits for our local residents who live, work and shop in Cookstown town centre."