SDLP MP Colum Eastwood and Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy have both welcomed the £125,000 Peace Bridge lighting upgrade.

The Derry City and Strabane District Council has said they have appointed contractors to carry out feature lighting upgrades on the Peace Bridge, with work starting this week.

The project will see the bridge’s existing fluorescent feature lighting upgraded to modern, energy-efficient LED technology, including a complete overhaul of the lighting on the spires.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood said: “The Peace Bridge has become an iconic landmark in our city since it was built and is used by thousands of people every day, whether it’s for travelling to work, into our city centre, for walking or by the many tourists visiting our city, interested in its history and the story behind it.

“When fully lit it brings a special quality to our city’s skyline and this has been lost over the years as lights have failed and not been fully replaced. This significant investment by council is welcome and is set to fully illuminate the bridge in time for our city’s Halloween celebrations.

“I look forward to seeing this work completed in the weeks ahead and the Peace Bridge once again lighting up Derry at night. This continued investment in our city centre shows a commitment to making our city a better place to live, work and visit and I will continue to support work to secure investment in our city and see more projects like this delivered.”

Councillor Duffy said: "It's great news that £125,000 of work will be carried out to restore the lighting on our iconic Peace Bridge.

“The bridge is an important landmark for our city, and it will be fantastic to see it illuminated in all its glory again in time for the Halloween celebrations.

“This is a very welcome investment in one of Derry’s most recognisable sights."

A spokesperson for the council said once the upgrades are completed, members of the public will see a striking visual transformation, restoring full illumination to the structure after many of the previous lights remained out of action for a number of years.