Press Release

Make your Call Count - phone lines now open for Connect2

Friday 7th December

Make your call count and help us bring a slice of the £50million Big Lottery giveaway to the City. The phone lines are now open so please call 0870 24 24 602.

Derry City Council, in association with Ilex URC and Sustrans, are this weekend urging the public to pledge their support for the Sustrans Connect 2 project as it competes in the £50 million Big Lottery Fund People’s Millions giveaway.

Speaking after making his all important telephone vote, the Mayor Alderman Drew Thompson said,

“The time has come now for everyone to make that call and vote to support this important initiative. It will ultimately lead to the revitalization of communities by creating new leisure connections across the city through the delivery of a high quality pathway for walkers and cyclists along the east bank of the River Foyle. It will extend the options for walking and cycling and make a greater use of the riverside for everyone”.

Ilex Chief Executive Bill Kirk said. “The connectivity to the proposed foot and cycle bridge across the River Foyle will also open new ways to access the city centre from Ebrington and City Columb’s Park. It opens up areas of land alongside the river and will also create safer and healthier routes for our everyday journeys to school, work and family”.

There are three ways for everyone to vote for Sustran's Connect2 - a telephone vote, from personal landline and mobile or by voting online at www.thepeoples50million.org.uk. Please note that due to competition rules only one vote per telephone number (business or personal) will be counted. Sustrans are also advising that if you call this number from a work extension that is routed through a switchboard - the switchboard number will only count as one vote, so please vote from home or use your mobile.

Typetalk users should dial 18001 before the number. Maximum call charge 10p from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles and other operators may be higher. There is no charge for online entry but service provider charges may apply. Lines will close on midday Monday 10th December. For terms and conditions visit www.itv.com/terms

Support staff from Sustrans and Derry City Council will be active across the city over the weekend at information points in Lisnagelvin Shopping Centre, Millennium Forum, Sainsburys and Guildhall Square. So watch out for our volunteers and make that call to help us win £1.2 million to make this project a reality.

ENDS

Notes to editor

Sustrans Connect2 is competing with three national projects to secure the public vote and win big lottery fund’s people’s £50million vote. This fund will support 79 UK nationwide practical cycling and walking projects.

Derry ~ Londonderry Connecting People 2 Place initiative is one of the 79 projects and if successful is set to receive one of the largest grant awards from the fund, (approximately £1.2 million) if we can secure the public vote. There are a further five projects throughout Northern Ireland who will also benefit; The Omagh Riverside path and new bridges, Newtownabbey to Belfast Lough; Dungannon Park Connections; Strabane River Mourne Bridge and Links and Ballymoney Railway Bridge and links. Over 179,000 people in Northern Ireland live within one mile of these schemes and over 6 million across the UK.

For additional information contact:

Press Office

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