New £450k traffic free greenway

The lane runs from Bay Road to Boomhall and is part the city’s Active Travel Programme which is part funded by the Department for Regional Development.

The Minister also announced the start of £179,000 improvement works to the Lowry’s Lane Greenway which will begin in the first week of October and is due for completion in mid December.

Minister Danny Kennedy said: “As part of a successful bid for funding from my Department, Derry City Council put forward proposals to create new traffic free greenways to enhance accessibility between schools, businesses, parks and residential areas to make cycling and walking within the city an attractive option for everyone, while promoting healthy living and social wellbeing.

“By providing funding for this project, my Department has demonstrated its commitment to promoting walking and cycling as a realistic and healthy alternative means of transport, particularly for people making short journeys in urban areas.”

The Bay Road – Boomhall Greenway project involved the construction of a 600 metre extension to the riverside greenway including upgrades to shore paths and an off road connection.

The Department contributed £425,000 to the cost of the project and Derry City Council contributed £25,000.

The Lowry’s Lane project will see 445 metres of traffic free greenways. The Department contributed £154,000 and Derry City Council contributed £25,000 to the costs of the project construction. The contractor for the project is Newtownstewart Construction Ltd.

“The overall project cost for the Derry City Council Active Travel Demonstration Projects is £1,348,000 over three years. I look forward to seeing the plans for the other Active Travel projects in the area in the future to further enhance the overall network of traffic free greenways in the city with an ultimate aim of creating a total of three km of new greenways promoting accessibility between key transport hubs, schools, businesses and residential areas,” said the Minister.