M2 Hightown Bridge Open Early

There will be considerable relief for commuters in the busy Belfast suburb of Glengormley today with news that a local road bridge - which was recently demolished to make way for a replacement - is to be opened ahead of the planned timetable.

NI Roads Minister Conor Murphy announced that the Hightown Bridge in Glengormley will re-open this month, well ahead of the original programme.

During a review of the ongoing construction works on the M2 motorway, Mr Murphy said: "Excellent progress has been made on construction of the Hightown Bridge over the M2 and I can announce that the new bridge will be opened on Wednesday.

"Completion of the Hightown Bridge has always been a high priority and its opening ahead of programme is good for residents and businesses in the Glengormley and Mallusk area."

The Minister added: "I fully understand the impact that the bridge replacement works have had on local people, particularly those that used the Hightown Road on a regular basis. I would like to thank them for their patience during the construction period."

The old Hightown Bridge, which carried the Hightown Road over the M2 in Glengormley, was closed on 27 January 2008 to allow the structure to be demolished and a new bridge constructed.

It was originally expected that this work could take up to one year.

However, Roads Service and its contractor, HMC, committed to accelerating the bridge replacement works.

The new Hightown Bridge is wider than the old bridge.

It has a right turning lane from the Hightown Road into the Mallusk Road, which will improve the capacity of this traffic signal controlled junction.

(PR/JM)