Action urged on Glenmornan’s Moorlough Road blockage

CALLS have been made for the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to ‘act quickly’ regarding a blocked drain which is claimed to be ‘seriously hazardous’ to residents using the Moorlough Road in Glenmornan.

Moreover, recent downpours have caused severe flood damage to the Owen Roe O Neill’s playing fields where the team train and play, and the areas has also become hazardous to school children, making their way home.

Owen Roes undertook their own investigations, and located a blockage on the system on the main road, which is causing major disruption.

Calling for action, Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA Maolíosa Mc Hugh says ‘something must be done’.

“The Moorlough Road/School Row area of Glenmornan is a flooding hotspot whenever there is heavy rainfall,” he said.

“So much so, that, in November, the bus pick-up point for local school children was also under water, and since then, a considerable section of the Owen Roes pitch has been waterlogged and seriously damaged; rendering it unplayable for the upcoming season.

“On request, local councillor Dan Kelly and I , held an onsite meeting with Roads Service and River Agency, and a commitment was given to investigate the cause of the flooding, bring back a report, and outline the remedial action required to address the problem.

“We requested a progress update on January 12, but are still awaiting the delivery of these commitments.

“This situation is totally unacceptable, and DfI must act to address the problem once and for all.”

The Chronicle contacted the Department for comment, and a spokesperson said the blockage, located during a survey of the area, will be investigated ‘when resources allow’.

They said, “There are currently three pipelines draining water from Moorlough Road, the GAA grounds, and the land to the rear of the Owen Roe pitches.

“During normal rainfall conditions, these pipes are able to discharge into the stream running along the rear of the houses at School Row. However, during exceptionally heavy rainfall, the water level in this stream rises above the level of the drainage pipes. As these pipes discharge into the stream at an angle in the region of 90 degrees, DfI are planning to install a 45-degree bend on the end of each outlet pipe, and this should enable water to flow more freely out of these drains when the water level in the stream is raised. A survey also identified a substantial volume of granular material that had been washed into two of the drains running across Moorlough Road, and that these were partially blocked. Jetting of the drains is currently being carried out, and this work should be completed by the end of this week.”