Bishop Street resident calls for last vestiges of security barriers at Bishop’s Gate to be removed

John Lafferty, from the Bishop Street area, has urged the Department of Justice (DoJ) to remove a so-called ‘Dogleg’ barrier at Bishop Street Without at its entrance to the Fountain.

He does not believe the heavy duty infrastructure is necessary 25 years on from the Good Friday Agreement.

"What we propose is that the whole barrier - they call it a ‘Dogleg’ but a ‘Dogleg’ sounds better than a barrier - we propose that the whole lot be replaced with a gate at the Fountain,” he said.

Mr. Lafferty estimates approximately 1,000 people use it to travel between Bishop Street Without and the city centre every day.

DoJ told the ‘Journal’ it has delivered a series of interface security fence reductions and removals in Derry through its ‘Together: building a united community (T:buc)’ Interfaces Programme’.

"These have included: the removal of most of the remaining security interface fencing along Derry’s Walls between Bishop’s Gate and Butcher’s Gate; the trial opening of a pedestrian access gate along Bishop Street and the permanent re-opening of security gates within, what is known locally as the ‘Dogleg’ security structure, to provide 24/7 pedestrian access along Bishop Street.

“The Department will continue to engage with local residents about further reductions, potentially involving changes to the opening times of gates on top of the Walls at Bishop’s Gate and to consider the reconfiguration of the ‘Dogleg’ structure to improve access and enhance the visual amenity of the area; whilst continuing to provide any necessary security protection for local people,” a spokesperson said.

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