AQW 13862/11-15

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 05/09/2012
Answered On Date: 18/09/2012
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Regional Development what preparatory measures his Department is taking to minimise disruption during the upgrade of the A2 road at Greenisland.

Answer:

Implementation of a major project, such as the A2 Shore Road Greenisland, will inevitably cause significant disruption along the A2 and adjacent roads during the construction phase. There are significant challenges associated with carrying out these works within the space available on this very constrained urban corridor. These include laying new gas mains, sewers, water mains, electricity and telephone cables. All utilities to the adjoining properties must be maintained during construction of the new road, while at the same time accommodating the 35,000 vehicles that use the road every day.

In order to tackle these issues, my Department’s Road Service has established a Temporary Traffic Management Strategy Group (TTMSG) which includes representatives from PSNI, Translink, Transportation Unit and officials from Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus Borough Councils.

The aims of this wide-ranging group will be to minimise disruption and keep all those affected by the works informed of developments throughout the contract. These will be delivered through three distinct strands:

issues to be conditioned for delivery within the contract;

works to be undertaken by Roads Service and other bodies in advance of, or during, the contract works; and

development of a communication strategy to provide timely and relevant information to those who require it.

The TTMSG has, over the past 3 years, developed a range of proposals, which are progressing and are to be established in advance of the commencement of the construction stage of the scheme in early 2013.

The proposals include:-

the deferment of planned public utility work in the run-up to and during the construction phase of the contract;

the acceleration of resurfacing and utility work on the B90 Old Carrick Road in advance of the scheme;

the acceleration of planned improvement works on alternative routes so that they are completed in advance of the main scheme;

the extension and expansion of Park and Ride facilities and an increase in Translink facilities and services; and

a communications strategy, which will involve the use of multi-media facilities, in order to keep stakeholders informed of scheme developments at all times.