West Tyrone Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Féin engaged with Roads Service on Spout Road subsidence

Published: 26 January, 2010

Sinn Fein representatives in are continuing to engage with Roads Service in relation to problems arising from the major subsidence of the Spout Road outside Strabane following heavy rain late last year.

Before Christmas, Sinn Fein Representatives Claire Mc Gill MLA, Cllr Jarlath Mc Nulty and Cllr Michaela Boyle met with Section Engineer of Road Service Mr Deaglan Mc Bride on site along with a large number of residents from the surrounding area.

Speaking about this meeting Claire Mc Gill said,

Along with local residents, community representatives, local farmers and local business people we were seeking to pursue what interim steps Road Service could be take to alleviate the level of disruption that was being caused as a result of the Road closure as well as to press for a commitment that there would be no undue delay in the reconstruction of this section of road.

Concerns raised at this meeting included: confusion created by the diversion signs in the Town; the impact of the road closure on local business; the inconvenience caused to locals in the run up to the busy Christmas period; the difficulties for people travelling from surrounding areas, and the potential increased inconvenience for everyone, should the road remain closed for a considerable period of time.

In response, the section engineer said he had noted what was said, and would further consult with other Road Service personnel with a view to determining whether anything could be done to alleviate these difficulties while at the same time ensuring that there was no threat to the safety of any road users.

He gave a commitment on the spot that the signage issue would be addressed that afternoon.

At the end of the meeting, when pressed, Mr Mc Bride give a commitment to everyone present that he would come back to the issue after the consultation with other Road Service personnel.

Mr Mc Bride has since reported back to elected members that given the extent of the structural damage caused, and given that safety for road users must be paramount, it would not be possible to re-open the road even in a restricted form in the short term. He said that options on how to rebuild the road are now being considered and it is being deemed as a "capital project." Sinn Fein will continue to lobby to ensure that there is no undue delay in the Spout Road being re-opened.