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The final section of a £189m stretch of dual carriageway between Belfast and Londonderry has fully opened for the first time.

Work was completed on the A6 between Toomebridge, County Antrim, and Castledawson, County Londonderry, over the weekend.

The first phase of the carriageway, between the M22 motorway at Randalstown and Toomebridge, opened in 2019.

The nine miles (14.7km) of new road is now fully open for the first time.

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon described it as "an exciting time for road users" and "fantastic news" for the 22,000 vehicles that use the route every day.

"Car users, freight and public transport services along this route will benefit from shorter, safer and more reliable journey times," she said.

Describing the new road as a "strategically important route", the minister said it would also enable faster emergency service response times.

She acknowledged the impact of construction work on residents, landowners, businesses and road users but said delivering improvements to road infrastructure "cannot be done without causing significant disruption".

"I'm sure at times this has been very frustrating, particularly for those living in the vicinity of the works, so I want to thank the local community for their co-operation and understanding over the past four years," she said.

"I hope that everyone will see the wider benefits this road is now providing."

The dual carriageway is part of a larger scheme to improve the route between Derry and Belfast, with work continuing on a major new road between Derry and Dungiven.

Starting at the village of Drumahoe, the 15-mile section of dual carriageway will include a bypass around Dungiven.

The upgrade, which is expected to be completed by 2022, will cost £220m, according to the Department for Infrastructure.