Work on the next phase of an improved road from Dungiven to Derry could be years away in large part due to the legacy of the largest illegal dump sites ever discovered in Ireland or Britain.
A remediation plan to deal with the Mobuoy waste site has yet to be drawn up, stalling any further movement on the road – the first part of which will be officially opened on Thursday.
Two people pleaded guilty six months ago in connection with operating the dump, first discovered nearly a decade ago. They have yet to be sentenced.
Work began on a 25.5km section of the main A6 Belfast to Derry road, bypassing Dungiven and ending in Drumahoe near Derry city, in 2018. Construction cost £250m and is now complete but it is planned to build another stretch from Drumahoe to Gransha.
"The project we are delivering at the moment is phase one of the Derry to Dungiven project. You may be aware the second phase runs very close to the Mobuoy waste site," the Department for Infrastructure's Kaine Lynch said.
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"We are working very closely with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to ensure that the remediation of that site enables and aligns with the design for phase two of the project," Mr Lynch told the BBC.
"We don’t have a timescale... at this point."
Mr Lynch agreed the project will be impacted because of the “severe contamination” of the area. Budgets will also be a factor in relation to the build.
Dean Blackwood, an environmentalist and chair of the River Faughan Anglers, has for years closely tracked the discovery of the dump, the aftermath and the history of the planned A6 road.
It was only after a public inquiry that it was realised there was a large dump site that would significantly impact construction, Mr Blackwood said.
He seriously doubts whether any work on the road will start for some time given the scale of the remediation work needed.
"Nearly a decade after discovering this dump there is still no remediation plan. Some clean-up work has been done but a lot more needs to be carried out. I seriously doubt construction of what is called the next phase of the road will start for many, many years."
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said the NIEA "is engaging with stakeholders in a range of meetings to provide information on innovative, affordable and up to date options for remediation and future site vision".
"NIEA continue to work closely with DfI in relation to the proposed A6 to ensure the efficient delivery of both projects in the longer term and will continue to engage with stakeholders to keep them informed and listen to their views," a spokesperson said.
Two men are still to be sentenced six months after pleading guilty to operating the illegal dump site.
Paul Doherty (64), of Culmore Road in Derry, and Gerry Farmer (53), of Westlake, pleaded guilty last October to illegally dumping what prosecutors estimate was approximately one million tonnes of waste.
Doherty pleaded guilty to seven charges, Farmer to three.
They include handling waste “in a manner likely to cause pollution to the environment or harm to human health”.
Farmer’s company, City Industrial Waste, also pleaded guilty.
