Queens Quay road works halted till after Foyle Cup
'NI Water’s contractor is liaising with the department regarding a new start date for the work on Queens Quay and will strive to complete the essential improvements during the remainder of the summer school break'
NI Water has paused work on both Madams Bank Road and Queens Quay until the Foyle Cup tournament concludes on Saturday, July 26.
The decison follows political intervention from Foyle MLAs and Derry City and Strabane District councillor following the traffic chaos in Derry yesterday - the opening of the annual tournament.
In a statement to The Derry News, NI Water said: "NI Water is laying new wastewater infrastructure on Madams Bank Road to support new development in the city, with sewer improvements also planned to get underway on Queens Quay.
"The projects have been scheduled to take place (as far as possible) during the summer months to minimise disruption to school traffic, and all traffic management is in line with the road permits issued by the Department for Infrastructure.
"Following recent feedback regarding traffic congestion in the city, NI Water has paused work on both Madams Bank Road and Queens Quay until the Foyle Cup tournament concludes on Saturday, July 26.
"From this morning (Tuesday, July 22), traffic management on Madams Bank Road was reduced to one lane around where the road has already been excavated for the new pipe and has only been temporarily reinstated. This leaves two lanes on Madams Bank Road, on the approach to Culmore Road Roundabout, open to traffic.
"The supporting traffic management on Culmore Road and Foyle Bridge has also been removed for the remainder of this week in a bid to alleviate traffic congestion in the area. Pipelaying work will recommence on Madams Bank Road on Monday, July 28, with the necessary traffic management reinstated.
"The work on Queens Quay is part of the Culmore Trunk Sewer upgrade which has already seen over 1,100m of the pipeline relined between Foyle Road and Queens Quay to strengthen the sewerage network and help protect against sewer collapses,
blockages and out-of-sewer flooding.
"NI Water’s contractor is liaising with the department regarding a new start date for the work on Queens Quay and will strive to complete the essential improvements during the remainder of the summer school break.
"The Culmore Trunk Sewer is over 1.3m in diameter on Queens Quay and the relining work will require a one-way
closure northbound between Harbour Square Roundabout and Queens Quay Roundabout.
"NI Water’s project team have already issued information to businesses in the area and signage remains in place to notify road users of the pending work.
"The date for the work on Queens Quay will be conveyed once a new permit has been granted.NI Water would like to thank our contractors for changing their work plans at short notice and assure the public that we will do everything possible to reduce disruption and complete the work as quickly as possible going forward."