Byrne gets on his bike for new Strabane cycle path

West Tyrone MLA Joe Byrne saddles up ready for the new Strabane cycle path on the Melmount Road. Minister for Regional Development Danny Kennedy granted £300,000 of capital funding to construct 1,250metres of cycle path on the Melmount Road extending from the existing cycle route at the Great Northern Road to Beechmount Avenue.

Welcoming Danny Kennedy’s announcement Mr Byrne said; “Cycling across Ireland and the UK is experiencing a major gear change. People across my constituency of West Tyrone are jumping on the bicycle bandwagon and taking to the roads on this cycling frenzy. The benefits of cycling are endless and promote considerable health benefits and general wellbeing.  If you’re headed to anything important, like work; biking is a completely green form of transportation that’s free (so long as you have a bike) and provides some great exercise to boot. Instead of slouching in front of the steering wheel in traffic, biking to work adds additional exercise benefits to your daily or occasional routine.”

“I very much welcome the extension of the existing Cycle Path on Strabane Bypass to the Melmount Road. This fantastic 1,250metre extension will provide a hugely beneficial resource to Strabane’s growing interest in cycling. This however is only the beginning and we in the SDLP will continue to Lobby the Minister for further investigation into the further expansion of this potentially life changing resource.”

SDLP Launch Local Jobs Campaign– ‘Unlocking Strabane’s Potential'

This week the local Strabane SDLP District Executive launched their local Jobs and Investment Campaign for the Strabane District.

The Jobs campaign launch follows the approval of the £50 million Three Rivers Project for the Strabane area.  Following the work of the local SDLP to get this major project over the line, many have described the project as a golden opportunity which has the potential to create up to 1700 jobs for the area.

Speaking on the Jobs campaign, SDLP Representative for Sperrin, Patrick Leonard said; "After years of continued hard work by SDLP MLA Joe Byrne and the local SDLP team the Three Rivers Project has finally been given the green light. This is a time to be positive as the people of Strabane embark on a progressive step forward.”

“It is very unfortunate that Strabane has not seen nor benefited from any economic investment from Government or the private sector for decades prior to recent weeks. The SDLP now have placed Job Creation and investment at the top of our agenda in Strabane with an aim to tackle the very high levels of unemployment locally and attract investment.”

“There must also be greater support for small to medium sized businesses within the town centre struggling to survive with the low levels of footfall. It is time we gave visitors and local residents an incentive to Eat, Shop and Socialise in Strabane by attracting new anchor tenants to the town centre, creating healthy competition and generating new footfall.”

“There are answers to the hurdles we face locally, but it will require action on a proactive and innovative level to deliver the bigger picture. The SDLP have adopted this approach locally and will be meeting with a considerable number of investors in the coming months to sell the Strabane Brand and spread the message that Strabane is very much open for business."