Plans announced to expand pedestrian access along Derry’s riverfront and limit traffic inside City Walls

The Minister said that the Derry project, and a second to pedestrianise streets in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, are just the first in a series of innovative green infrastructure initiatives planned to support recovery and changes in how people travel.

Making the announcement today (Friday) Mallon said: “Work will begin in Derry to create extra space for people using the riverfront and in the weeks ahead, working closely with Derry City and Strabane District Council and other stakeholders, we will develop plans to reduce the traffic and improve conditions for pedestrians within the City Walls as businesses begin to reopen.”

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said the plans to increase space for pedestrians in Derry will contribute to a healthier, cleaner and greener city.

Ms. Mallon said: “Since my appointment as Minister for Infrastructure, I made a commitment to deliver sustainable infrastructure that will transform our communities today and for the generations behind us. The changes I am making are innovative and creative.

“We are now living in a new normal and part of that is ensuring we create more opportunities for active travel, with more safe routes for walking and cycling. Some of the changes we will make have not been tested before.

“ They may not all work, but we have an opportunity now to try new things and to learn from them. I will not let pursuit of perfection be the enemy of the good.”

She added: “Finding solutions will only be possible if we work together. Work is already underway by my Department to establish a walking and cycling advisory group with representatives from a wide range of public and voluntary sector organisations. This group will be critical in ensuring that we find the right solutions in the right places, to support our communities in the months ahead by building on these pilots and finding creative solutions to new challenges and seizing new opportunities.

“In the coming weeks I will announce plans for pop up cycle lanes and quiet streets across Northern Ireland. At a time where there are constraints on public transport, I want to make it easier for people to choose to cycle. I am particularly keen to improve links to our hospitals to help those frontline healthcare workers who are at the heart of our response to this pandemic. My Department is also looking at ways we can support communities, particularly those in disadvantaged inner city communities who do not have easy access to space for recreation and leisure and I will be making a further announcement on this soon.

“My Department will be flexible and responsive but it will not be afraid to try new approaches. Some interventions may only be needed for a short time, others may become a permanent part of our streetscapes. These solutions and others will be essential as we learn to live in the new normal, with new ways of working and travelling. In what has been a dark time for us, I want to seize the opportunity to make changes now to underpin a green recovery and improve public health now and for the future. With pressures across the board, I am looking at opportunities to transform our spaces and places. We can do things differently, repurposing our resources and refocusing our efforts. This is our chance for change, I’m committed to grasping it.”

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP said: “The SDLP is committed to reimagining our public spaces to create a cleaner, greener and healthier society. Increasing the amount of space available to pedestrians and cyclists is critical to that effort.

“I’m delighted that our Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has announced a further step in that transformation process today by creating more space for pedestrians along our riverfront. Our aim is to create vibrant, active corridors in the city giving people the chance to get out while maintaining social distance.

“We can’t go back to how things were before the Covid-19 crisis. It’s time to do things differently. We’re prepared to go further than anyone has previously when it comes to building a healthy, happy and clean city. This is just the start.”