Mobuoy dump a ‘huge problem’ as DfI tries to progress last stretch of A6: O’Dowd

The Infrastructure Minister said he was continuing to engage with departmental officials and colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to deliver the final stretch of the road.

Mr. O’Dowd said: “The A6 phase 1 has been a huge success, and it is of huge benefit to motorists who travel that road regularly. Mobuoy dump is...a huge problem for us in planning the next phase of the A6.

"We are engaged with DAERA, which is the lead Department in the legal issues around all these things.”

The minister was quizzed about the last length of the A6 between Drumahoe and Caw by Foyle MLA Mark H. Durkan during a recent meeting of the Stormont Infrastructure Committee.

“I will have your head done in about the A6. Great work has been done, and it makes a huge difference to people travelling to and from my constituency, between there and Belfast and anywhere in between or beyond,” said Mr. Durkan, who added that the multi-million pound road has been ‘a fantastic project’ but ‘needs finished because the situation at Drumahoe is currently just completely mad’.

Mr. O’Dowd said his department was not in position to bid for money for the final stage of the road yet.

"DAERA is probably best able to answer who is going to be legally responsible for the actual cleaning up of that site. That is a challenge.

"However, I continue to engage with my officials about the A6, and what we can do next to progress it,” he declared.

The minister indicated that looking at another potential route avoiding Mobuoy was not a runner as it would involve further delays.

"If we look at a different route, it will be several years of work. You appreciate that. It is, rather, about whether we can go a certain distance or do whatever we can. I am engaging with officials on that and we will see what we can do,” Mr. O’Dowd noted.

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