Cookstown Roads' Improvements Welcomed

Cookstown is really getting 'on the road' with news of continuing investment totalling £1.9m in the area.

Stormont Transport Minister Conor Murphy has welcomed Roads Service's progress on scheduled completion of the Carland Bridge Realignment scheme in the neighbouring Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council.

"A notorious bottleneck on the Cookstown to Dungannon road has now been bypassed. This scheme will improve roads safety and reduce journey time on this important part of the road network.

"While this larger project will help the region from a strategic perspective, at a local level, Roads Service is committed to ensuring that it can make best use of our resources and continue to deliver quality public services," he said.

The Minister said the design and development work on the A29 Cookstown Bypass was continuing to progress, with the preferred route having been announced in June 2010, with detailed topographical and environmental surveys currently underway.

"A new footway has been provided at Drumeeny Road, Ballinderry and work to provide a near side passing bay is currently underway on the A29 Dungannon Road at its junction with Killycolp Road.

"It is also hoped to complete traffic calming schemes at Millburn/Princes Ave, Coolnafranky Park and Gortalowry Park Cookstown," he continued.

"In addition, over 1.94 km of asphalt resurfacing has been completed, in the District this year, with further resurfacing works programmed for completion by the end of the year."

Also commenting, Divisional Roads Manager, Pat Doherty said: "A wide range of local schemes have been successfully planned and delivered in the Cookstown District in the past 12 months.

"The ever tightening public expenditure environment in this current year is challenging.

"Despite this, I remain committed to developing a programme of high priority road improvement and maintenance schemes for the District, so that these can be delivered as resources permit," he said.

(BMcC)