Over £700,000 will be spent on five flood alleviation schemes in County Fermanagh over the next three months.

Following the June Monitoring Round at Stormont, Transport NI’s Western division has been given £740,000 for flood alleviation works at five key locations in Fermanagh. This is £90,000 more than what was initially set aside to raise local roads.

A letter from Transport NI divisional manager Conor Loughrey to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) states that the five schemes are: 
B127 Newbridge Road, Lisnaskea at the Share Centre; 
B533 Wattlebridge Road, Newtownbutler at Derrykerrib; 
C436 Inishmore Road, Lisbellaw; 
C444 Boho Road, Enniskillen
U6525 Wellington Road, Enniskillen at depot.

“These schemes are considered to deliver the greatest benefit to the wider community with the first three schemes being key routes crossing Lough Erne,” Mr. Loughrey wrote.
“The highest priority scheme, being the one that will provide the greatest public benefit, is considered to be at Newbridge Road where it is intended to support the raised section of road on concrete piles in order to avoid any further resettlement. 
“Detailed design work is ongoing for this scheme,” the letter continues.
“The scheme at Wattlebridge Road requires purchase of land before it can be delivered and this is currently being pursued. Subject to successful acquisition of land, it is hoped that work will commence at this location in September 2016. The scheme on C436 Inishmore Road will address three different sites on the same road and work is expected to commence in August 2016.”

Work will also get underway on two roads leading into Boho over the summer. “The busiest road linking Boho to Enniskillen is the C441 Boho (or Coalbog) Road which only floods in exceptional rain events. It is proposed to raise this road at a low point near Cloghane Bridge,” said Mr. Loughrey. The letter acknowledges that “severe disruption” is caused to users of the Ulsterbus depot, the Lakeland Forum and the Castle Park car park when flooding occurs. Transport NI hopes to deliver that scheme in October.