New Downpatrick link road revealed

New Downpatrick link road revealed

12 October 2016

THE exact route of a proposed new link road in Downpatrick is to be outlined for the first time by Transport NI.

A new road between Irish Street and St Patrick’s Avenue has been suggested as a means of alleviating town centre congestion but there has been ongoing confusion about the exact route the road will take.

Transport NI has said for several years that the road could not go ahead until the demolition of the huge blast wall outside the former police station and now the wall has been removed there are calls for the route of the road to be revealed.

It is believed that two buildings on the Stream Street side of the former police station which border Lynn Doyle Place, will be demolished to make way for the road which will emerge onto St Patrick’s Avenue and form part of a new one-way system.

There has been tension between Transport NI and local councillors who believe the roads officials are lukewarm about the new road and instead want a one-way system running clockwise from Irish Street, Stream Street, St Patrick’s Avenue and Market Street.

Those tensions surfaced during a recent meeting between the Transport NI officials and Downpatrick District Electoral Area Forum, the body made up of councillors and representatives of the voluntary and business sectors.

The meeting was to discuss the forthcoming streetscape scheme for Irish Street following the removal of the blast wall. However, the Forum members refused to sign off on the Transport NI plans until the roads body identifies the route of the new road.

The meeting, on October 3, broke up with Transport NI officials agreeing to supply drawings showing the route of the new road.

The DEA is also looking for progress on a number of other traffic management schemes which have been in the pipeline for several years. These include:

• The Ardglass Road/Killough Road junction

• The St Patrick’s Avenue/Market Street junction

• Collins Corner improvements

• The Ardglass Road/Edward street junction

• A proposed one-way system in Edward Street and St Dillon’s Avenue.

Downpatrick councillor Cadogan Enright welcomed united action by Downpatrick councillors at the meeting as a ‘first step’ to getting the ‘Downpatrick Masterplan’ back on track.

“Most ratepayers don’t realise that it has been over two years since the Downpatrick Masterplan Implementation Group has met. It is really unacceptable that I have had to fight so hard to revive the implementation group,” he said.

“I have found this extraordinary two year hiatus most frustrating. Council management have been unduly focused on internal organisation following the merger of the two councils and have ped the ball on moving key projects in the Downpatrick area forward.”

Councillor John Trainor said he is very keen to see the proposed link road provided to help alleviate town centre congestion, boost business potential and help revitalise the Irish Street area.

He added: ”I am glad there is a united political in support of the new link road and hope this will extend to support for other projects that will benefit people in Downpatrick and wider Lecale area.”