UUP Roads Minister likely to pursue urgent review of A5

Speaking on his first day in office on Monday the Minister said: “Planning for the long term development of the region is important to everyone living in Northern Ireland.

“It is, therefore, essential that we bring forward strategies that support the economy, the environment and help address the needs of the individual.

“Indeed I have already referred to the importance of improving the strategic road network and I will be looking closely at the level of proposed investment on roads such as the A5.”

New minister

The new Roads Minister previously expressed support for his Ulster Unionist Party’s (UUP) review policy.

The party advocates refocusing on the need to commission the A2 project at Greenisland, rather than the A5 Western Transport Corridor.

Former DRD Minister Conor Murphy - who championed the multi-million pound project - said an Economic appraisal of the scheme would not be completed until a public inquiry took place this month.

In February he told the UUP leader Tom Elliot that an economic evaluation of the road project - which generated 2,000 objections between November and January - will follow the public inquiry.

The public inquiry is being held to consider the opinions expressed in relation to the A5 Western Transport Corridor - Environmental Statement, Direction Order, Vesting Order and Stopping-Up of Private Accesses.

Inspections

The appointed inspectors for the public inquiry last month held pre-inquiry meetings to outline procedural matters for the inquiries.

The inquiry into section 1 of the A5, which runs from Newbuildings to Sion Mills is pencilled in for the Fir Trees Hotel, Strabane, next Monday, May 23, at 10.30am.

Roads Service says the comments/objections, that were received following the publication of the Notice of Intention to Make a Direction Order, Notice of Intention to Make a Vesting Order, Environmental Statement and Stopping Up of Private Accesses Order, have been classified as being either strategic or local issues and definitions of these include the following: Strategic: the need for scheme, traffic levels etc. These issues will be heard at the Strategic Inquiry; or Local: extent of land take, road closures/realignments, drainage. These issues will be heard at the Section Inquiries.

Traffc flow

Roads Service estimates the annual average daily traffic flow on the A5 between Londonderry and Strabane will increase from 12,030 vehicles in 2007 to 22,200 in 2015. The roads authority believes the amount of vehicles using the road will have more than doubled to 26,000 by 2030.