VIDEO: Road is raised out of Lough Erne
A CAUTIOUS sigh of relief swept across Enniskillen last night as the flooded Quay Pass reopened after a major 24-hour emergency road-raising operation.
Road workers and engineers worked throughout Tuesday night and all day yesterday to raise the main route outside the busy Erneside Shopping Centre.
Watch Michael McGlade's video report here....
More than 700 tonnes of aggregates were brought in to raise the road, which had been left under several feet of water by the flooding from Lough Erne, which has already left vast swathes of Co Fermanagh submerged for the past week.
The News Letter has also learned that the bill for the work will be jointly paid for by the Erneside Shopping Centre and the neighbouring Asda store, together with Roads Service.
Harry Robinson, section engineer with Roads Service, said the decision to raise the road was only taken on Tuesday as the rising water breached emergency sandbags put in place at the shopping centre.
"We were left with little other choice but to raise this road. Sandbags had been put in place but the water just kept rising until eventually the road became impassable," said Mr Robinson.
"I would like to pay tribute to the contractors, who worked throughout the night here to complete this major job in just 24 hours.
"I would also like to pay tribute to the owners of the Erneside Shopping Centre and Asda, who are each paying one-third of the cost with Roads Service. Obviously they want to look after their customers and we at Roads Service want to see this main artery kept open.
"We do not want to see the town brought to a complete standstill coming up to Christmas."
In 2006 a similar road-raising operation was carried out along an adjacent stretch of flooded road. However, this week's flooding has surpassed all previous levels seen in Enniskillen - and with further heavy rainfall yesterday, many fear the Erne will continue to rise.
One shopkeeper badly affected by the submerged Quay Pass expressed some scepticism over the success of the emergency relief scheme.
Watch video here...
"This has happened before - the road has flooded and they've had to raise it but I doubt if this will be a permanent solution," said Sinead Hoy, sales assistant at Fulton's furniture store.
Water lapping to within a few feet of the front steps of the shop has had a negative impact on trade, according to Sinead.
"It has been like this since last Thursday and we have seen very few customers. Coming up to Christmas, like every other store, this is normally a busy time for us, but people either think we're not open or just don't want to risk the flooding."
David Spence, community transport officer with the Western Education and Library Board, described the emergency road-raising operation as "a major relief".
"We would have up to 20 school buses coming through that road in the morning and the afternoon so we are talking about 800 children being affected by this," said Mr Spence.
"I don't think there is any alternative but to raise the road - and it will be greatly appreciated by everyone, not least the schoolchildren."
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
