Report on strategic traffic movement around Londonderry published

The report was prepared on behalf of the Department for Regional Development's Roads Service by civil engineering consultants Scott Wilson.

It examines the proposals to improve the primary road network approaching Derry and considers how traffic on these proposed roads could best be distributed into and around the city.

Transport Minister Conor Murphy said: "The high level study will help to establish the infrastructure required to manage traffic arriving on the outskirts of the City on the new A5 Aughnacloy to Derry and A6 Dungiven to Derry dual carriageways which will get underway in the next few years.

"The extension of the Clooney Road dual carriageway from Maydown Roundabout to the City of Derry Airport will also open to traffic later this year.

"These major investments in road improvements by Roads Service will significantly improve road links to the city and this report examines a future strategy for distributing this traffic into and around the city. "It is important to plan ahead to establish what infrastructure may be required in the future to manage traffic arriving via these new roads."

In particular the report focuses on: connecting the A5 at Newbuildings to the A6 at Drumahoe; new crossing of the River Foyle; and the provision of a 'West Link' road from the A5/A6 link, around the west of the city to the Buncrana Road.

In the preparation of this report Roads Service consulted with the National Roads Authority/Donegal County Council, Ilex and its advisers, Derry City Council, the Department for Social Development, the Planning Service and others with an interest in the development of the city.

A copy of the report can be viewed at http://www.roadsni.gov.uk/IRLAL.