Roundabout anger

DUP representative Ian Stevenson has been campaigning for roundabouts to be installed at Ballymoney by-pass at the Knock Road and Kirk Road junctions.

He believes Roads Service has been concentrating on schemes in the Ballymena area at Ballymoney’s expense and at a meeting of Ballymoney Council last week he wanted to know how much money has been spent in Ballymena compared to Ballymoney by Roads Service over the last ten years.

The figures were not immediately forthcoming.

Cllr Stevenson said Ballymena has “plenty of roundabouts and we can’t get two”.

Roads Service officer Malcolm Glover said there was no discrimination against Ballymoney.

He said: “There is no agenda that would differentiate between Ballymena and Ballymoney I can assure you.”

Mr Glover said he appreciated the problems experienced at the Dervock Road and Kirk Road junctions.

Cllr Stevenson continued: “We can’t get it but yet you get all these things up in Ballymena at the drop of a hat.”

Mr Glover said the roundabout calls at the Ballymoney by-pass will be looked at again.

DUP councillor Evelyne Robinson added her support to the call for something to be done at the by-pass.

She said the traffic build-ups at the junction are one of the most commonly reported problems councillors hear of.

“People are always saying ‘Can you not get anything done so we can get out to our work in the morning?’,” said the councillor.

She said at any time of the day it can be difficult getting across the by-pass unless you drive to one of the other roundabouts.

Mayor of Ballymoney, Cllr Frank Campbell (DUP), wondered if Roads Service are holding off on putting in new roundabouts on the by-pass until the road is turned into a dual-carriageway past Ballymoney.