White-line pickets set for every month in Dungiven

The Sentinel has been reporting on delays to plans to construct a bypass around Dungiven for at least 40 years.

In October, additional funds were handed to out to a range of projects across Northern Ireland - including significant transport infrastructure projects. Plans for a bypass for Dungiven, which locals say would alleviate health problems caused by the exhaust fumes coming from the heavy traffic which is a constant feature of Dungiven, were overlooked yet again.

Now, according to Sinn Féin councillor Sean McGlinchey , a white line protest will be held once a month in Dungiven in a bid to highlight the need for a bypass.

He added that a white line protest will be held once a month for the foreseeable future.

Speaking to the Sentinel, Mr McGlinchey said: “People are starting to get very fed up with the lack of progress. There will be a white-line picket in the town on Friday between four and five. We are looking at doing it once a month. After that we will sit down with the Dungiven Bypass Committee and try and work out the best way forward.

“To be fair, I don’t want to go into the politics of it but that is what it is. It is a political decision in my eyes to overlook Dungiven and the North West. The country is on its knees and you have people making decisions like that. The whole system is a joke. I have to say it’s a bloody joke for Dungiven to be overlooked. For the people living along the Main Street there are serious health concerns. Anybody driving from Derry to Belfast could tell you that the stretch of road from Toome to Derry is one of the worst sections. There is no indication from Danny Kennedy that he is doing anything.”