Updated plans for £70m Buncrana Road widening to be unveiled

Local people have been invited to give their views on the latest proposals to upgrade the Buncrana Road, between the Pennyburn Roundabout and the border with County Donegal.
The Buncrana Road in Derry.The Buncrana Road in Derry.
The Buncrana Road in Derry.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) will host a public information event on Tuesday, March 26, from 11.00am to 9.00pm in Da Vinci’s Hotel and is inviting the public and interested bodies to drop in.

The emerging design was made available to the public at a previous public information day held in May, 2018. Since then the Department has carried out further survey work with ground investigations and has refined the design taking on board the feedback received from the public.

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The event on March 26 will allow everyone to view the latest proposals, hear about the next steps for the scheme and provide any further comments. The DfI team and its consulting partners, Arup, will be available to discuss any aspects of the scheme.

The A2 Buncrana Road is a key link in the main corridor from the city centre to significant industrial and residential areas, as well as a link to County Donegal.

The aims of the proposed scheme are to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion and help support the use of more sustainable transport modes, while also assisting the economic regeneration of the city and help facilitate future development.

A Preferred Route for the scheme was announced in 2009 but was not progressed further at that stage due to lack of available funding. In December, 2016, the then Minister for the Department, Chris Hazzard, announced a stimulus package and funding was made available to recommence scheme development.

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Given the time lapse since 2009, the department has undertaken new traffic and environmental surveys and reviewed the design in line with current standards and policy.

The overall scheme is 4.4 kms in length and is estimated to cost around £70 million.

There are ongoing discussions with landowners whose properties are affected by the scheme.

The Department is aiming to publish the draft Statutory Orders and Environmental Statement in 2020, while delivery of the new road scheme will be dependent on the successful completion of the statutory processes and the future availability of finance.

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Local people can also make representations by letter, email or via the department’s website. Contact details are available at: www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/contacts/dfi-roads-western-division-divisional-manager