27 January 2026
SDLP East Derry MLA Cara Hunter has highlighted ongoing traffic problems in Ballykelly, Greysteel and Kilrea.
She brought an adjournment debate to the Assembly on Tuesday.
East Derry MLA Cara Hunter said:
“Traffic problems in Ballykelly and Greysteel, and the ongoing delays at Kilrea Bridge are having a huge impact on the life in East Derry. What matters to people is whether they can get to work on time, get their kids picked up, get to a hospital appointment, or simply go to the chemist without it turning into an ordeal. Right now, for thousands of people, that is not happening.
“For over two years now, these roadworks have dragged on. Two years of unpredictable delays. Two years of rolling completion dates. Two years of people leaving earlier and earlier ‘just in case’, only to still end up late.
”People are now taking risks. I’ve had reports of drivers using hard shoulders, running red lights, overtaking stationary traffic, and even confrontations breaking out. HGVs are being forced down narrow country roads that were never meant for them. This isn’t just frustrating, it’s dangerous.
“I’m asking the Infrastructure Minister to do three very simple things. Urgently review how this project is being managed, including working hours and traffic controls. If resurfacing can be done off-peak elsewhere, why not here? Give people clear, honest timelines, not vague updates, and not moving goalposts. People deserve to know what they’re dealing with. Finally, come and visit the areas, stand on that road at peak time and talk to parents, commuters and business owners. See the stress, the frustration, the knock-on effects for yourself. Until you sit in that traffic, you don’t fully understand it.”