Preferred A29 Route Announced

A much-anticipated rural road scheme has been outlined in more detail - although finance has not yet been confirmed.

The NI Transport Minister Conor Murphy announced the preferred route for the proposed A29 Cookstown Bypass.

The Minister said: "This project will provide significant benefits in terms of improving safety and journey times for strategic traffic particularly on the A29 between Armagh and Coleraine. It will also provide significant traffic management and environmental improvements for the town of Cookstown," he said.

The Minister added: "A public information day is scheduled today, 10 June, at the South West College, Cookstown and I would encourage anyone with an interest in the scheme to come along and express their views on the preferred route."

While timing of the construction of the bypass is dependent on satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures - and the availability of finance - the Minister did explain that the preferred route consists of 4.25kms of new carriageway.

"A new wide single carriageway will extend from the Dungannon Road roundabout to the south of Cookstown over a distance of 3.95kms to meet the Moneymore Road to the north at a proposed new roundabout," he said.

"Under the proposal, the existing dual carriageway between Cookstown and Moneymore will also be extended by some 300 metres to meet this new roundabout. One further roundabout is proposed along the length of the bypass at its junction with the Cloghog Road/Clare Lane, providing convenient access to the town centre and local amenities."

He said: "This project is part of an overall strategy to improve the Key Transport and Link Corridors across the North and demonstrates my commitment to addressing regional disparity and reversing decades of underinvestment in infrastructure west of the Bann."

The announcement is the culmination of a thorough assessment of various route options within the preferred (eastern) corridor. There were five route options in total and each has been assessed against the Government's five key objectives for transport: Environment; Safety; Economy; Accessibility and Integration.

The announcement of the preferred route for the new bypass means that, subject to ratification through the statutory procedures, that this proposal will supersede the route for the Cookstown Eastern Distributor Road, as indicated in the area plan.

(NS/BMcC)