A6 dual carriageway: First phase of road opens

Aerial view of new section of A6 between Randalstown and Toomebridge,

A new four-mile (7km) stretch of dual carriageway between Belfast and Londonderry has opened.

About 20,000 vehicles a day will benefit from the A6 upgrade between Randalstown and Toomebridge, County Antrim.

It is the first phase of a new nine-mile (14.7km) dual carriageway to the Castledawson roundabout in County Londonderry, costing £185m.

The second phase to Castledawson is due to be completed in 2021.

Work on the scheme began in 2016.

The Department for Infrastructure said the new dual carriageway would help to reduce congestion, speed up journey times and improve road safety.

On Sunday night, the department tweeted that the new 7km stretch of road opened at 21:30 BST on Sunday, a few hours ahead of schedule.

The empty road just days before it opened

Work is under way on a major new road between Derry and Dungiven, at the other end of the A6.

Starting at the village of Drumahoe, the 15-mile (25.5km) section of the dual carriageway scheme will include a bypass around Dungiven.

The upgrade, which is expected to take four years to complete, will cost £230m, according to the Department for Infrastructure.