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Settlement Proposals
Towns

MAGHERAFELT
TRANSPORTATION

Magherafelt is situated on the A31 trunk road and approximately 1.6 kilometres from the A6, the strategic route between Belfast and Londonderry. The Toomebridge bypass, a substantial portion of which lies in the District, is currently under construction. This major road scheme will improve communications between Belfast City, the ports and airports. Similarly, enhancements to the western section of the A6 have improved communications with Londonderry. Additional proposals to upgrade the A6 between the end of the M22 motorway at Randalstown and the A31 at Castledawson to dual carriageway standard will further enhance this strategic route, providing a safer network with more reliable journey times.

The A31 is also part of the east-west route north of Lough Neagh linking the west of the Province with the A6 and the major urban areas in the east. Consequently, the road system within the town carries a high proportion of through traffic in addition to locally generated traffic.

In the town centre, the local network converges on the junctions at The Diamond. As a result, Broad Street, Market Street, Queen Street and Rainey Street as well as Union Road and Church Street each carry high volumes of traffic. On-street parking and the limited capacity of the main junctions in the town to deal with traffic exacerbate the situation. The results are congestion, particularly at peak times, conflict with pedestrians, degradation of the environment and a diminished attractiveness of the town centre as a shopping destination.

Six off street car parking areas, two of which are privately controlled, serve the town centre and in addition there is a considerable amount of on-street parking.

The Policy for the protection of transportation scheme proposals is contained in Policy TRAN 1 in Part 2 of the Plan.

The key component of the Transportation Strategy for Magherafelt is the Eastern Bypass. This scheme will link the Castledawson Road to the Moneymore Road and will assist in diverting through traffic away from the centre of Magherafelt. This will relieve traffic congestion in and around the town centre, improve journey times for both public and private transport, encourage investment and growth in Magherafelt and enhance the attractiveness of the town. This scheme is subject to further detailed design to establish precise alignments. During the detailed design stage, a study will be carried out to assess the requirement for providing a pedestrian link between the Ballyronan Road playing fields on the eastern side of the proposed bypass and the residential areas within the settlement development limit.

The Roads Service Ten Year Forward Planning Schedule is still under consideration and the Eastern Bypass road is one of a number of schemes being considered for inclusion in the Schedule. Until the content of the Schedule is decided the commencement date for the construction of the Eastern Bypass road will not be known.

LOCAL TRANSPORT STUDY

During the Plan period, as part of the Local Transport Study to be undertaken by the Department for Regional Development (DRD), a number of Local Transport and Safety schemes will be identified for implementation within Magherafelt which is identified as an Urban Area within the Sub Regional Transport Plan. These schemes, which will be in line with DRD’s Regional

Transportation Strategy, will further enhance the town through better management of traffic, accident reduction, facilities for the disabled, and improvements to the urban road, cycle and footway network. Implementation of identified schemes will be subject to the availability of resources within the SRTP.

The feasibility of providing access improvements to Union Road bus station will be investigated.

The need for any additional car parking facilities that may be required within Magherafelt will be assessed.

The need for improved management of traffic flows within the town centre will be assessed and will encourage the use of public transport as well as other modes of transport.

The Study will identify cycling demand and opportunities to encourage cycling through provision of new works or by the inclusion of cycling in road improvement schemes, where appropriate.