News Release Page Title

20 December 2001

£3.9M COMBER BY-PASS SCHEME ANNOUNCED BY DRD MINISTER

Regional Development Minister, Peter Robinson MP MLA today, announced the go ahead for the £3.9M Comber By-Pass.

Tender procedures for the contract have commenced and the relevant notices will be published shortly in the European journal, with the prospect of work on the 12-month contract beginning on site in the summer of 2002.

This progress has proven possible after the objection to the scheme was withdrawn, following a series of meetings between the objector and the Minister, along with Department for Regional Development’s Roads Service officials.

The Minister said: "The scheme, which is Stage Two of the overall by-pass proposal, will link the Killinchy Road to the Newtownards Road along the alignment of the old railway line.

"Stage One of the by-pass, from Belfast Road to Killinchy Road, was provided some 30 years ago and for that reason I am delighted to finally be in a position to announce its go-ahead.

"It has certainly been long awaited and will provide a welcome relief to the traffic congestion problems which have increased over the last three decades.

"The route currently carries approximately 20,000 vehicles per day and Comber town centre suffers from congestion at peak times."

The total length of the scheme is approximately 2.5km and involves the construction of two roundabouts, one at the Killinchy Road junction and the other at the Newtownards Road junction, a large culvert and a bridge over the Marsh River.

Mr Robinson said: " Finance for the by-pass scheme is available and my Department advertised a Notice of Intention to Make a Vesting Order in May this year with a closing date for objections of 26 June 2001.

"One objection was received, but I am glad to say that after a series of meetings involving myself and DRD Roads Service officials, the issues raised have been resolved and the objector has formally withdrawn his objection to the scheme."

For further information contact Eamon Deeny at DRD Press Office on 028 9054 0004.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  • Comber Bypass (Stage 2) consists of a 1 km single carriageway bypass of the town between roundabouts at the Killinchy Road and Newtownards Road , followed by 900m of dual carriageway to tie in with the existing dual carriageway. In addition, 600m of single carriageway will be constructed at Copelands Link at the Newtownards Road roundabout. The scheme is estimated to cost some £3.9M and is included in the Roads Service Major Works Preparation Pool.

  • Environmental and planning procedures for Stage 2 were completed a number of years ago.

  • The previous Minister Gregory Campbell announced on Tuesday, 1 May 2001, that funding had been secured for the scheme.

  • The Notice of Intention to Make a Vesting Order (NIMVO) to acquire the necessary land for Stage 2 was published in the local press during weeks ending 18 and 25 May 2001. The closing date for the receipt of objections was 26 June 2001.

  • Roads Service received one objection (received on 16 June 2001) in response to the NIMVO in respect of the scheme. This objection has delayed progress with the scheme. The Minister and Roads Service officials held a series of meetings with the objector to discuss issues raised and on 17 December 2001, the objection was formally withdrawn.

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