Cross-party backing for new bridge in Kilrea as Bann bridge struggles with modern traffic

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has called for a new bridge in Kilrea in the wake of the prolonged closure of the village’s Bann bridge.

At January’s full council meeting, members approved a cross-party motion proposed by UUP councillor Richard Holmes and seconded by Sinn Féin councillor Sean Bateson and DUP alderman Michelle Knight-McQuillan.

The motion stated:

“This council notes the recent closure of Kilrea’s Bann Bridge due to maintenance issues and the detrimental impact on local businesses and communities.

“It has served the people of the area well for almost 250 years and is part of the picturesque Lower Bann waterway. However, in the 21st century, we believe it is time to add a new bridge to increase traffic flow and meet the demands of a modern transport infrastructure.

“The Regional Development Strategy 2035 prioritised the delivery of transport, stating in RG2 that ‘to remain competitive in the global market it is important to continue to promote transport which balances the needs of our environment, society and economy. The focus is on managing the use of road and rail space and how we can use our network in a better, smarter way’.

“We therefore call for an additional bridge to form part of the Local Development Plan, any future Regional Development Plan, and for the council to lobby the appropriate bodies to secure funding for, and a commitment to, a new bridge for Kilrea as part of the existing commitments towards RDS 2035.”

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Holmes said that while the Bann bridge is “one of the most picturesque on the Lower Bann”, it was built for “horses, carts and cattle” in 1783 and is no longer fit for purpose.

“It was 100 years before the invention of the motor car, and therein lies much of the problem we are facing,” he said. “The recent closure of Kilrea Bridge has exposed the over-reliance on ageing infrastructure.

“The inability to coordinate additional maintenance with the already planned works in 2022 has had a crippling impact on local traders and has inconvenienced the local population.

“The cry from locals is ‘build our bridge, protect our history and build our future’, but we cannot hope to build a competitive 21st-century economy on creaking infrastructure, as the Regional Development Strategy 2035 has already highlighted.

“A new bridge is a priority for Kilrea and surrounding towns. It needs to be a priority on the desks of council officials, councillors, Stormont Ministers and Department for Infrastructure officials.

“Work needs to start now, through the Local Development Plan and any future regional development plans, to ensure the 2030s do not end with another lorry stuck on a 250-year-old bridge.”

Alderman Knight-McQuillan said that while a new bridge may not fall within the council’s direct responsibility, “the conversation has to start somewhere”.

“We have to put our weight behind this to keep the issue live and to the forefront, because this will not be the last time this bridge has to close,” she said.

“Each and every closure disrupts this rural town and surrounding areas, especially when traffic is diverted onto roads that are not fit to carry heavy volumes of traffic.

“This is not going to happen in the next few years, or even in the next 10 or 20 years, but even if it takes 30 years, it has to be done.”

Councillor Bateson said:

“For almost 250 years, the Bann bridge has served Kilrea and the wider Lower Bann area well. It is a valued part of our heritage and should continue to be protected, but it was never designed to meet the demands of modern traffic or to act as a lifeline for the town.

“Securing a new bridge is not the remit of one councillor or one party. It requires sustained, cross-party lobbying and cooperation with statutory agencies to make this happen.”