Confirmation of new road safety measures welcomed by Derry Councillor

Among the measures being carried out is the long campaigned for reduction of the speed limit on the route from Crescent Link to Ballyoan Cemetery.

Colr. McKinney has repeatedly raised the issue of road safety along the 60 miles per hour stretch with the Department of Infrastructure and Roads Service and a speedlimit review was previously secured.

Together with local road safety campaigners from Life After he has also raised numerous other road safety concerns across the wider region.

In a letter to Colr. McKinney the Roads Service have now confirmed: “The Rossdowney Road from its junction with the Crescent Link to Ballyoan Cemetery has been assessed for an appropriate speed limit. I can confirm that the 30mph limit will be extended from its existing present location close to Crescent Link junction out to and including the frontage of the cemetery.

“It is hoped that this work to relocate the speed limit signs will be carried out in the coming weeks.”

The Waterside representative has also secured talks over concerns he has raised over a year ago about the Horace Street/ Carlisle Road junction in the city centre.

Meanwhile the Roads Service in its correspondence also confirmed that following a request from Colr. McKinney arrangements are being made to place a grit/ salt box close to the Fountain Primary School as a safety measure as part of its winter services.

Colr. McKinney also raised concerns of residents over blocked gullies in Shantallow and surface defects.

Roads Service responded that the back alley gullies in the Moyola Drive area have now been cleaned. “Any surface defects that meet our current criteria for repair have been identified and programmed for repair,” the official stated.

Responding to the range of developments, Colr. McKinney said: “Since I was elected I’ve been a strong advocate of trying to make our roads a safer place for all our citizens.

“In the last year with the support and help of Christopher Sherrard, the Chair of Life After we have contacted DFI Roads on road safety issues. I contacted DFI Roads Western Division at the start of December 2021 as a follow up to issues raised in 2021.

“I’m glad to report that DFI Roads Western Division reported back. The major issue of the speed limit on Rossdowney Road by Blackthorn and the Cemetery, is to be reduced from the national speed limit 60MPH to 30MPH.

“One issue that was not addressed is the junction of Horace St/ Carlisle Rd. Christopher and I met a Roads engineer last February and had made a few suggestions but this seems to have been lost and DFI Roads are going to visit the issue again, hopefully with a successful outcome on the safety issues at this junction.

“So all in all this is an excellent start to 2022 and thank you to DFI Roads Western Division for moving on these road safety issues,” Colr. McKinney said.