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Is this the biggest yellow box junction in the UK or Ireland?

Mark Simpson
BBC News NI community correspondent
BBC A large yellow box junction leading to traffic lights at a T-junction. Shops line the side of the street.BBC
Maghera has been dubbed the "small town with the big yellow box"

"Ridiculous", "silly" and 40m long - but is this the biggest yellow box junction in the UK, Ireland or even the world?

That is what gobsmacked people in a County Londonderry town have been asking after the new set of road markings appeared earlier this week.

Maghera, with its population of fewer than 5,000 people, has been dubbed the "small town with the big yellow box" over the markings that stretch along a busy junction frequently used by buses, lorries and cars.

It is aims to improve traffic flow on the A29 Tobermore Road by keeping the junction clear - but locals are less clear on why it is just so big.

Melissa Caskey, with the box junction behind her. She has blonde hair tied back, wearing a white t-shirt with a red Rolling Stones tongue and lips logo on the left hand side.
Melissa Caskey's office overlooks the box and said it was "ridiculous"

Melissa Caskey, who works in an office which overlooks the box, said she was shocked when she first saw it.

"It's massive. It's ridiculous. Everybody who comes into our office says – 'have you seen the size of that box out there?'" she said.

"It's really silly and very few people know how to use it. But I do think they had a good reason for it because that's a very busy junction."

She said a smaller box would have been better.

Barney Regan with the box junction and cars behind him. He has short grey-ish hair, wearing a light blue t-shirt with sunglasses hanging from the neck.
Bar owner Barney Regan said he hoped it might become a tourist attraction

Some residents highlighted the need for safer driving and said they hoped the new box might help.

Barney Regan, who runs a bar nearby, said he hoped it might become a tourist attraction.

"The north coast has the Dark Hedges and the Giant's Causeway, we've got the largest box-junction in Ireland," he said.

A large box junction. Shop fronts are on the right and a road entrance is on the left.
The box stretches more than 40m along a busy junction frequently used by buses and lorries

The Department for Infrastructure has been contacted for comment.

Situated in the town centre, the yellow box is close to local businesses including a cinema, but is also used by through traffic.

While there is criticism of the size of the traffic flow measure, there is a general recognition that traffic flow in the town needs to be improved.

Ireland's biggest and most bizarre

Many other towns and villages in Ireland claim to be home to abnormally large phenomena.

  • For many years the peninsula of Doagh in Donegal was said to be home to Ireland's largest searchlight as part of the Donegal Lapland festival each Christmas
  • The village of Ross Cross in County Meath is said to be home of the island's largest 99 ice cream
  • Donegall Quay in the centre of Belfast is the domain of what is reputedly the largest statue of a fish in Ireland
  • As pointed out by roads expert Wesley Johnston on X, Ballymena, County Antrim, is believed to have the island's largest roundabout - the Larne Road roundabout