Northern Ireland could benefit from the construction of six brand new walkway projects, when the winner of The People's £50 Million Lottery Giveaway is announced in December.

In June 2005 the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and broadcaster ITV announced a competition to find the winner of a £50 million National Lottery grant. The search was on for a "groundbreaking project that would inspire communities to revitalise the areas where they live".

The competition has been whittled down to just four candidates, including Sultrans' Connect2 project.

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Connect2 is a UK-wide project that aims to improve local travel by creating new walking and cycling routes for commuters.

If successful, Connect2 aim to improve travel in 79 communities across the UK, including the construction of walkways and cycling routes across six locations in Northern Ireland.

These include sites in Omagh, Strabane, Dungannon, Derry and Ballymoney.

Further proposals have also been devised to create the Newtownabbey to Belfast Lough Three Miles Water Greenway.

Sultrans – a sustainable transport charity – claim the Connect2 project will "bring people closer together, making journeys quicker, healthier and more convenient"

Each of the four finalists will be the subject of an ITV1 programme during the week starting 1 December, with the Connect2 edition scheduled for 3 December.

For further information visit www.thepeoples50million.org.uk.

(NS/JM)