Main work on A6 to begin within weeks

by Gillian McDade

Main construction work on the A6 scheme is to begin within weeks.

Upgrading will take place from Randalstown to Toome and from Moyola to the Castledawson Roundabout.

The Randalstown to Toome section could open to traffic as soon as 2019.

The £160million scheme is an Executive Flagship project.

It’s hoped peak journey times will be cut by at least a quarter.

The upgrading will also remove bottlenecks along the route and improve road safety.

Around 18,000 people use the road daily.

The community will also benefit as traffic will be diverted from local roads, improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The scheme is expected to be substantially complete in early 2021.

The A6 will strengthen the links between Belfast and Derry/Londonderry.

The ongoing work will also benefit the local construction industry delivering jobs and investment.

Throughout, the Department has engaged in a consultation process to ensure there will be no adverse impact on protected flora or fauna, including the Whooper Swans.Only minor work will take place along a contested section of the route near the home of Seamus Heaney, which is set to face a further legal challenge.

In relation to the contested section near Mossbawn, only essential work will be completed at this time. The Department will work to bring any future legal proceedings regarding this section of the route to a conclusion as soon as possible.