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Traffic signals enabling pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road at Derrybeg Lane the entrance road to Newry Railway Station should be in place by the end of February.
It's part of an active travel link that is in place from the Mourne Country Roundabout to the Fiveways Roundabout and from Fiveways up to Derrybeg Lane, and it will make it easier to get across what can be an extremely busy road.
In a reply to a Newry.ie query a Newry, Mourne and Down District Council spokesperson explained that the scheme currently in place is part of a planned active travel loop through the city "DfI is undertaking works on a link from the Belfast Road to Camlough Road into Newry City centre and back on to the Belfast Road, forming a Loop."
Not a lot of work has taken place in the Newry area since the Active Travel Masterplan for the area was published in October 2020 but it appears that some projects at least are still being considered and will hopefully be progressed.
One scheme that arguably would have the most impact would be a cycle/walking route linking Newry Canal Towpath to the Carlingford Lough Greenway. A Feasibility study considering route options for this was completed in December 2022 although route options went from the plan to add a few signs to direct cyclists and walkers along pre-existing paths to the option of a new path that would run through the City between Newry Canal and the Clanrye River. While the first option would be the cheapest it would be the least desirable, with the option of a new path that would run behind the Town Hall, past Newry Bus Station and through the Car Park in front of the Buttercrane being the most beneficial to Newry.
Additionally EU funding through SEUPB and DfI Greenways Funding has been obtained by Council to complete the northern section of the Newry to Carlingford Greenway. Work is partially finished and final sections are due for completion later in 2024.
The Council spokesperson added "Discussion and planning for Active Travel infrastructure development is ongoing. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is working closely with the Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) local Active Travel Unit as well as its Central Active Travel Team. The recommendations from the Council’s Active Travel Masterplan have formed the basis for these developments."
"A range of other routes and options are being considered as part of the ongoing engagement with DfI, these will be will be determined on available budgets and what is possible on the ground.”
