Emergency road repairs frustrate motorists

ANAHILT residents say they were left in the dark following the unexpected closure of the Upper Ballynahinch Road.

The road recently collapsed and was closed by the Roads Service - but one lady who lives in the area says that local people were not made aware of this and ended up making wasted journeys.

She said: “There was no mention of the road being closed on the usual traffic updates and no signs on the way so this meant people were having to turn, adding on extra miles. It meant me going seven and a half miles out of my way to go to work. This is not on. People in the village are giving off about it. It’s ridiculous.”

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Councillor Paul Stewart said after numerous complaints from residents he contacted Roads Service and was informed that the road had collapsed and had been closed immediately. He said that it is hoped the road will reopen within the next three weeks.

A Roads Service spokesperson said: “This was an emergency closure which could not be avoided after a structural problem was discovered with an old stone culvert at Upper Ballynahinch Road. Roads Service closed the road for safety reasons so essential work could be completed to replace the culvert.”

This is not the first time the road has been closed. Two years ago a bridge collapse left residents taking a detaour for months before repairs were completed.

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