Hassan welcomes DRD clarification

A flood wall which protects homes and building near Culmore Point will now be maintained by Transport NI.

The news came after local Sinn Fein councillor for the area, Tony Hassan attended a recent Derry City Council Environmental Services Meeting.

“The Department for Regional Development’s Transport NI need to remove the sections of the railings at the roadside near the riverfront and replace them with a continuous solid stone wall in consultation with local residents and Derry City Council,” Colr. Hassan told the Journal yesterday.

The department’s clarification comes amid concerns in Culmore of flooding reoccurring following recent bad weather and poor driving conditions which affected roads across the city last week.

“I am delighted for the residents that they [Transport NI] has now said they have responsibility for the maintenance of the wall.

“This has been a long standing problem in the area and I am happy to have been able to represent the people of this area and make their voices heard.”

It is hoped that the installation of a flood wall in the area will help to reduce the possibility of flooding. Colr. Hassan said it should also mean that the roads in the area remain open during bouts of heavy rain.

“It is imperative that we get the situation resolved at Culmore as speedily as possible,” he said.

“We cannot have a situation that every time there is heavy rain residents are panicking that their homes will be impacted by flooding or one of the main roads in the area is closed as a result.”

The conclusion of the meeting with Derry City Council’s Environmental Services is that Transport NI will now move to repair the flood wall in Culmore as soon as possible.