Northern Ireland

Environmentally sensitive section of A6 opens

A new section of the A6 between Derry and Belfast opened to traffic on Monday. Picture by Hugh Russell.
A new section of the A6 between Derry and Belfast opened to traffic on Monday. Picture by Hugh Russell. A new section of the A6 between Derry and Belfast opened to traffic on Monday. Picture by Hugh Russell.

A section of new road which cuts through an environmentally and culturally sensitive part of Co Derry has opened to traffic.

The final 5 kilometre section of the A6 Randalstown to Castledawson dualling scheme was opened by infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon on Monday.

While the traffic has been restricted to two lanes, it is expected the project will be completed early next year.

The work is part of a £189m scheme designed to reduce travel times between Derry and Belfast.

Up to 20,000 vehicles use the route every day, which has previously resulted in long delays for commuters.

While other parts of the new road opened to motorists last year the remaining leg proved to be the most controversial as it cuts through an environmentally important area of wetlands visited by migrant Whooper Swans each year.

Work on a section of the road was halted each winter to facilitate the visiting birds.

The area was also made famous by the poetry of Seamus Heaney who before his death had urged authorities to use an alternative route for the planned road.

Mid Ulster SDLP assembly member Patsy McGlone welcomed the road opening.

"It's great to see the road opening and it will free up the journey time for thousands of people who travel that direction every day," he said.

Ms Mallon said the A6 "is a strategically important route".