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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Connor Lynch

Carryduff residents 'fed up' as town is 'besieged by roadworks'

Carryduff residents are growing increasingly frustrated and feel their town has become "besieged by roadworks" over the past few months.

There are a number of ongoing roadworks which have been causing disruption for those living in the Carryduff, with work taking place at the roundabout, Saintfield Road / Manse Road / Mealough Road junction and the Saintfield Road / Church Road / Comber Road Junction.

The works at the Mealough Road have been taking place for nearly a year, after initially being scheduled to last 12 weeks, following a series of delays.

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This has meant that those living on the road are having to take a three mile detour in order to access parts of Carryduff that are only a few hundred yards away.

Residents have also complained about the night time works taking place at the roundabout, saying that it is keeping them up all night.

Saintfield Road. (Justin Kernoghan)

Speaking to Belfast Live, Carryduff resident Wallace Doughlas said: "Carryduff has become besieged by roadworks and it is causing problems for residents right across the town.

"The works at the Mealough Road have been ongoing for a year and have caused a lot of disruption for those living and working in the area. Some people have had to make nearly a three mile detour to access part of the road, which really adds up in costs over the course of a year.

"Over the past few months works have also started on the Comber Road and Church Road junction and the roundabout, which were seemingly abandoned shortly after they started even though the cones and traffic issues remained."

Carryduff roundabout going onto the Saintfield Road. (Justin Kernoghan)

South Belfast Alliance councillor Michelle Guy has been working with residents affected by the roadworks in the area and says those who have suffered costs as a result of the Mealough Road works deserve to be compensated.

She said: "Local residents have become disillusioned in recent months due to the ongoing roadworks throughout Carryduff.

"Those in the Mealough Road area have been particularly affected and while they may have been able to put up with the planned 12 weeks of work, the constant delays have meant it has taken nearly a year for these to be completed, causing real problems for those living in the area.

"Those living in the town are finding themselves constantly stuck in traffic due to the congestion these works have caused and residents feel there has been a lack of communication between them, DFI and the contractors carrying out the work."

TUV South Belfast candidate Andrew Girvin says he has spoken to residents who have been unable to sleep as a result of the roadworks at the roundabout despite what they do to drown out the noise.

He said: "Residents have contacted me in frustration over these night time roadworks saying they have been unable to sleep every night they have been on. They have tried white noise and playing music to drown out the noise of them but still they are up all night and many of them have young children and families.

Carryduff roundabout (Justin Kernoghan)

"It is not acceptable that these works are causing such a level of disruption to families living in the area and the timings need to be addressed so that people are able to live in peace.

"Many of the roadworks in Carryduff are to do with housing developments which should have only been approved once the correct infrastructure was in place prior because now residents are dealing with constant disruption to their lives by the volume of them in Carryduff."

A Department for Infrastructure spokesperson said: "Resurfacing of the Carryduff Roundabout commenced on 28 March. However, the scheme was delayed due to adverse weather conditions. To minimise disruption overnight works recommenced again this week, between the hours of 21.00 and 06.00 and resurfacing of the roundabout is now completed.

"The improvement work at Mealough Road is being carried out by developers following planning permission for a new residential development on the Mealough Road. The major improvement works at the junction are substantially complete and should be concluded in the next few weeks.

"This work (Saintfield Road / Church Road / Comber Road Junction) is developer led. However, the Department can advise that the junction improvement works have recently been delayed due to the need for utility services relocation works."

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