Status
|
Construction scheme
(part completed)
Developer - Fraser Homes NI Ltd
|
Where
|
To
connect the M2 at j4 (Sandyknowes) to the
Upper Hightown Road |
Total
Length
|
1.25 km / 0.78 miles
|
Dates
|
Scheme announced by
private developer - Early 2002
Northern 0.86 km
completed - Feb 2003
Formally proposed in Belfast Metropolitan
Transport Plan - Nov 2004
Remains unfinished as
of Nov 2011 - no current plans to complete
|
Cost
|
£0.7m (2005
estimate) - part-funded by private
developers. |
Photos
|
See below |
See
Also
|
General
area map of Newtownabbey
|
North Belfast is connected to Glengormley (part
of Newtownabbey) by the M2. However, there is
another, much older, road link which goes over the
Belfast Hills via Crumlin Road and Upper Hightown
Road. Upper Hightown Road has been significantly
improved over the past 20 years to the point that
it is now (somewhat optimistically) the signposted
route from the Westlink to Glengormley. Roads
Service seem keen to promote this route in order
to reduce traffic levels on the M2. The problem is
that this road ends in the centre of Glengormley
village, an unsatisfactory arrangement that
negates any advantages the route might have for
commuters. This map shows the route drivers must
take in red:
The Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) of
2004 contained a proposal to construct a link road
connecting the Upper Hightown Road directly to the
M2 at Sandyknowes roundabout. This link is shown
in green on the map above. The BMTP stated that
this road would be developer-led, ie private
developers would have to build it in order to
obtain planning permission. The road would be
primarily designed to serve the developments
in the area, but would also help longer-distance
traffic.
Sure enough, at the point the BMTP was published,
permission had already been given for the Mayfield
Garden Village and the developer had already built
the northern 70% of the road (completed in
February 2003) marked in light green on the map
and linking to Sandyknowes roundabout. The
developer did not, however, build the southern 30%
which links it to Hightown Road and it has
therefore ended at a temporary fence now for
almost a decade. Additionally, the 70% that has
been built has still
not been formally adopted by Roads Service
as of October 2011, and thus technically remains a
private road.
It's not entirely clear why the road has not been
finished - it may be to do with land acquisition
(there is a covered reservoir nearby), or it may
simply be that the developer is not required to
complete it. Either way, it seems a shame that the
road is so close to completion, yet is not linked
up. In the meantime, drivers can still connect
from Upper Hightown Road to the Mayfield Link Road
by rat-running through Mayfield Garden Village.
Photos

View north-west from close to the end of Upper
Hightown Road. The completed
road will curve through the trees to the right. 29
Mar 2002 [Wesley Johnston]

View south from Scullions Road / Mallusk Road
junction on 13 Apr 2002. The new Mayfield Link
Road now continues straight on here, where the
fence was in this image. [Wesley Johnston]

The completed part of Mayfield Link Road, here
seen on 22 Feb 2003
looking north just after opening. [Wesley
Johnston]

The abrupt southern terminus of the Mayfield Link
Road,
as seen on 9 Mar 2003. [Wesley Johnston]
|