A massive £7m distributor road project has been officially opened in Newtownards, Co Down, 15 months after the first sod was cut.

The A20 Southern Distributor Road has linked the three most important roads in the town, improving the flow of traffic to and from Belfast, Comber and other parts of the Ards Peninsula.

Four new roundabouts were installed as part of the scheme, together with 2.7km of new carriageway and associated cycle and footways along much of its length.

Department for Regional Development Permanent Secretary, Paul Priestly, said that despite the project overrunning by three months, significant savings were made.

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"The Department has worked closely with colleagues in NI Water to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the construction of the new road to considerably enhance the water and sewerage infrastructure in the area," he said.

"Although this additional work has meant the completion of the road has taken three months longer than initially anticipated, there have been significant savings to the public purse as a result."

Mr Priestly said the project has the potential to bring significant economic benefits to the whole of the Ards community.

"It links three important roads in the town: the Portaferry Road; the Comber Road; and the Belfast Road," he said

"The Department has received many positive comments about how this has eased congestion at the Scrabo Road/Circular Road junction and removed considerable volumes of traffic from the area in the vicinity of Newtownards Model Primary School."

(PR/KMcA)