Road to open early after huge town centre queues

Road to open early after huge town centre queues

20 August 2014

UNPRECEDENTED traffic jams in Downpatrick have forced the Road Service into bringing forward the completion of a major resurfacing scheme.

Motorists have been forced to sit for up to 45 minutes in traffic queues after Fountain Street was closed two weeks ago. After a huge volume of complaints the Roads Service has pledged to open the street on Friday, one week earlier than planned.

Contractors are working overtime to ensure an early finish to the resurfacing scheme, which has left motorist facing lengthy delays across the town.

Traffic travelling into the town from the Belfast Road side has been worst affected with tailbacks as far as the Quoile Bridge. There has also been unexpected congestion at Slievegrane Road, Saul, which has been used as an unofficial rat run by commuters who have been unable to pass each other at the narrowest points.

Residents of Fountain Street and Ardmore Avenue have also struggled to access their homes at times due to safety fencing.

The Roads Service has been taken by surprise by the extent of traffic disruption caused by the project. The local Sinn Fein office recorded 40 complaints over two days last week from motorists and traders angry about the lack of an alternative through road.

Local businesswoman Cathrina Kielty, who runs Wrap’n’Roll at Church Street, said her business had been decimated by the work.

She said her profits were halved because people have avoided the town due to congestion, which meant it took her 27 minutes to travel a few hundred meters from the Belfast Road roundabout to her premises.

“This is causing utter chaos and people are becoming more and more irate,” she said.

“I am flabbergasted that one small road can cause such mayhem. Officials should have sat down before this started and figured out an alternative route so this did not happen.

“There should be a neon sign at Saintfield telling holiday makers heading to Newcastle about the delays so they could go via Ballynahinch.

“I am turning away business because I know there is no point in offering to deliver because it takes so long.

“The road might need work done but that work should never have been started without a system in place to keep traffic moving.

“Drivers are also coming into the garage forecourt beside me and spinning around to turn back. It’s dangerous and people are angry.”

Mr. Stephen Hanna, from the Downpatrick Chamber of Commerce, said traders once again felt they had not been consulted about roadworks and the potential impact on business.

“This keeps happening. First traders faced extensive road works at Market Street and now, hot on the heels of that, there are road works at Fountain Street about which they were, once again, not informed,” he said.

“If traders are consulted early enough they will not have to firefight the consequences of road works.

“This is back to school time but shoppers will avoid the town because of the traffic.”

Roads Service officials have confirmed they have now taken measures to alleviate congestion due to complaints received.

These have included a change to the traffic light timings at the junction of Irish Street and Market Street and Church Street and Scotch Street and the implementation of signage at Saul Way to inform roads users that access is available to those aiming for Saul Street only.

“It is necessary for the road to remain closed until 6pm on Friday,” a spokesman said.

“However, the contractor has agreed to put additional resources on the site and to extend their staff’s working hours so that the closure will be as short as possible.”