Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

A5 - Derry Dual Carraigeway

Options
1…457910…21

Comments

  • Options
    #182
    Sulmac
    Registered Users Posts: 1,021 ✭✭✭Sulmac


    The plot thickens:
    Friday, 11 November 2011
    A5 upgrade 'back on track' - DFM

    Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has told UTV the upgrade of the A5 road is "back on track", after he and First Minister Peter Robinson held talks with Taoiseach Enda Kenny on Friday.

    Earlier this week, the Irish Government announced the withdrawal of the £400m funds earmarked for the expansion of the road in the 2011-2015 budget period.

    Dublin blamed "tight fiscal constraints" for the decision.

    However, UTV now understands the Irish Government will announce fresh details of their contribution to the project during next week's North South Ministerial meeting in Armagh. It is expected to be significantly lowered.

    The Irish government contribution to the A5 will only be a fraction of the original £400m but enough to re-profile the project.
    - UTV's Political Editor Ken Reid on Twitter (@KenReid_UTV)

    "It's far from dead," Mr McGuinness told UTV. "I think, as a result of our discussions today, we're greatly heartened by what we've heard and we look forward to completing some work ourselves and the Taoiseach over the course of the coming days."

    "It's fair to say it's back on track again," he added.

    Mr Robinson explained Dublin's contribution would be "re-profiled rather than lost".

    UTV's Political Editor Ken Reid says it doesn't mean the whole A5 project will be going ahead.

    "My Irish Government sources are saying it was hard work but they feel that a contribution should be made.

    "They could look at areas like the road from Derry to Strabane; perhaps that could be given priority."

    Joint financial support to dual the road at a cost of £850m was agreed as part of the St Andrew's Agreement in 2006, and construction was expected to start in 2012.

    The planned 54-mile long carriageway from Londonderry to Aughnacloy was designed to slash travel times from Northern Ireland to the Republic.

    © UTV News


  • Options
    #183
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Enda was reminded that this was an International Treaty what he was breaching. :)


  • Options
    #184
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    The Irish Times is carrying the same report. Derry seems very remote from much of the rest of the country without this upgrade, I must say.


  • Options
    #185
    dubhthach
    Registered Users Posts: 3,284 ✭✭✭dubhthach


    Tremelo wrote: »
    The Irish Times is carrying the same report. Derry seems very remote from much of the rest of the country without this upgrade, I must say.

    That and most of Donegal, from what I was hearing on the news they were saying €50m in 2015 and another €50m in 2016. I assume with such a reduction in spend (¼ of promised amount) that the design specs of the scheme might be lowered? (2+2 etc.)

    Of course one major disapointment is the cancelling of the interconnecting road schemes in Donegal which would have provided 2+2 from Letterkenny to the A5 at strabane (N14) , plus other scheme going westbound replacing the N15 providing bypasses of Ballybofey/Stranorlar


  • Options
    #186
    ardmacha
    Registered Users Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    I assume with such a reduction in spend (¼ of promised amount) that the design specs of the scheme might be lowered? (2+2 etc.)

    The profile of the scheme wasn't hugely different from 2+2 in any case. Perhaps you mean the replacement of GSJ with roundabouts?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #187
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,713 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    dubhthach wrote: »
    plus other scheme going westbound replacing the N15 providing bypasses of Ballybofey/Stranorlar

    This failed to get planning permission to begin with, due to Donegal RDO's dreadful junction design habits - they've got serious form on that.


  • Options
    #188
    Tech3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭Tech3


    According to new reports the plan is looking at dualing part of the scheme from Derry to strabane first


  • Options
    #189
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Be about 12 miles to the Strabane South junction according to Wesley Johnston. Around 10 miles if they drop the single road section at the northern end,

    See > http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/a5omaghstrabane.html


  • Options
    #190
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,958 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    Tech3 wrote: »
    According to new reports the plan is looking at dualing part of the scheme from Derry to strabane first
    Indeed all of us and Wesley have been saying that all along. Makes so much sense:
    Derry-Strabane by 2015
    Strabane-Omagh by 2020
    Omagh-Monaghan by 2025


  • Options
    #191
    doopa
    Registered Users Posts: 435 ✭✭doopa


    spacetweek wrote: »
    Indeed all of us and Wesley have been saying that all along. Makes so much sense:
    Derry-Strabane by 2015
    Strabane-Omagh by 2020
    Omagh-Monaghan by 2025

    The problem is that the Omagh Monaghan part of the road is the absolute worst in terms of driving conditions.
    Perhaps the Derry-Strabane is needed from the point of view of the congestion but I'd do it the other way round.

    Any word on how this will connect to the Derry Belfast road? Or will it defo just go straight into Derry?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #192
    NITransport
    Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭NITransport


    The only problem with the Derry - Strabane stretch is that the nimbies against it have a bit of a point. The congestion will only get worse with the building of this section as people leave later to get to work due to the "decreased journey time" only to find a traffic backlog at the end of the road next the Craigavon bridge. For this scheme to be successful it needs to be tied in with the A6 project near Drumahoe so that through traffic avoids the city, and only city bound traffic have to go through the junction.


  • Options
    #193
    doopa
    Registered Users Posts: 435 ✭✭doopa


    NITransport wrote: »
    The only problem with the Derry - Strabane stretch is that the nimbies against it have a bit of a point. The congestion will only get worse with the building of this section as people leave later to get to work due to the "decreased journey time" only to find a traffic backlog at the end of the road next the Craigavon bridge. For this scheme to be successful it needs to be tied in with the A6 project near Drumahoe so that through traffic avoids the city, and only city bound traffic have to go through the junction.

    True - they've widened the final stretch before the bridge (twice - since they had to redo the footpath on one side) recently so you'd imagine no more capacity can be found there. Therefore it would make sense to link it to the A6 and the outer ring road that would get people to the Foyle Bridge and over to Donegal faster. Apparently though they have zero intention of linking the two. Instead you'll have to come right into the city. Shambles!


  • Options
    #194
    cargo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭cargo


    Would have to agree with the points been put forward about the Derry - Strabane section. It's not the worst and it'll only create an even bigger build-up back from Derry until they put an ORR around it.

    Would love to see a few improvements along the other sections back to Monaghan first. I was caught for miles one day in a big queue behind a tractor doing 25mph and I dont mean 2 or 3 miles. Nobody could get around it as the evening rushhour traffic was coming against us. It eventually turned off halfway along the Omagh bypass.

    I am a bit biased though as I usually have to stopover in Strabane so am relaxed (or hyper from a coffee boost) again for the last section and I always turn off at New Buildings and take the upper back road in as I'm normally working up that end of town if I'm in Derry.


  • Options
    #195
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,582 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    I think that there are otrher primary routes in the North that need more urgent attention than the A5. The A6, which links Belfast and Derry, badly needs upgrading and dualling and the A2 at Greenisland is a commuter bottleneck and the A8 (E01) to Larne also needs dualling.

    That said, I think that there is a strong case for sections of ther A5 upgrade to go ahead as soon as possible, starting with a proper bypass for Omagh (replacing the cheap n' nasty 1990s "throughpass" shambles) and perhaps some of the section from Omagh to Strabane.


  • Options
    #196
    kennykill
    Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭kennykill


    Today's d-day with regard the A5 project. Head-honchos are meeting today to discuss the future of the project and recent failure of the Irish government to hold up fully their end of the deal.

    In my opinion, I reckon that only one section of this will go ahead. I have a gut feeling it will either be the Derry-Strabane stretch or the Strabane-Omagh stretch. Given the Irish governments pathetic contribution, I don't think the NI authorities will do the Omagh-Monaghan on their own. It'll likely be Derry-Strabane stretch as it's the most politically likeable despite the condition of the Strabane-Omagh stretch. Think spacetweek has it spot-on with his time frame. Irish Government will likely come up with better funds in a few years time (post 2015) to aid the completion of the other sections but for now only one section will get the green light using NI funds. Why would they cross the border into the republic with no money from the Irish side?

    It's such a shame and I'm still annoyed at the lack of vision from the Irish Government, it's generated much needed jobs and boost to the areas and further across the island but it seems that it's all about the money. As we all know, money has no heart-beat or feelings. You can cut it and reduce it and it will never know any different, unlike those of us gripping at shortening straws.


  • Options
    #197
    doopa
    Registered Users Posts: 435 ✭✭doopa


    Could this be good news for the project?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15881919
    UK Government to switch spending to capital projects.


  • Options
    #198
    kennykill
    Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭kennykill


    doopa wrote: »
    Could this be good news for the project?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15881919
    UK Government to switch spending to capital projects.

    Hard to know doopa, one would think that with the agreements with the Irish government would mean the A5 might be exempt from this development and allocated more funds from the UK government. It's likely good news for other NI infrastructure projects on the back burner that aren't linked to the south of Ireland. I think, and don't hold me to this, that the emphasis in the UK is geared towards getting broadband to everybody, with road infrastruture being less priority. I could be wrong.


  • Options
    #199
    cargo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭cargo


    Travelled up and down parts of this again esterday. God I hate it..... I'd say the average speed along this route has to be 35 - 40 mph.


  • Options
    #200
    kennykill
    Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭kennykill


    It's ok because the Irish government don't travel on it!! Ya it's such a pain of a stretch of road, but the fate of the upgrade won't be known till the new year now, think there's a north/south meeting scheduled mid-Jan but numbers already crunched behind the scenes. Results of the crunching will be out before the meeting I suspect. MIght be enough in the pot for an Omagh by-pass!!


  • Options
    #201
    cargo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭cargo


    I'd settle for a few more bits of overtaking lanes scattered along it but the Strabane to Derry bit will need to be new build. Was just visualising trying to squeeze in extra lanes etc along it and there's way too many houses etc built on top of the road along this stretch.

    I dont mind the S-D bit anyway as I'm normally stopping in Strabane but as for the rest of it south of that!!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #202
    kennykill
    Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭kennykill


    Well your pain will continue for at least 5-10 years I reckon! There'll be enough in the pot for either Derry - Strabane (most politically smart) or an Omagh bypass but the rest won't be touched until at least 2022!! I'm glad I don't use that road!!


  • Options
    #203
    cargo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,215 ✭✭✭cargo


    kennykill wrote: »
    Well your pain will continue for at least 5-10 years I reckon! There'll be enough in the pot for either Derry - Strabane (most politically smart) or an Omagh bypass but the rest won't be touched until at least 2022!! I'm glad I don't use that road!!

    I only use it now and again but I'm usually late for something when I do!!! I think I can live with it for the few times a year I travel it.


  • Options
    #204
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,958 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    kennykill wrote: »
    Well your pain will continue for at least 5-10 years I reckon! There'll be enough in the pot for either Derry - Strabane (most politically smart) or an Omagh bypass but the rest won't be touched until at least 2022!! I'm glad I don't use that road!!
    I hope if there's an Omagh BP that it's a DC. The eventual aim should be to complete the whole route to DC even if it takes 20 years.


  • Options
    #205
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,582 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    The section betwen Omagh and Strabane, including a proper Omagh bypass really needs upgrading ASAP and hopefully before 2015.


  • Options
    #206
    kennykill
    Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭kennykill


    A little birdie has told me that there's been some development with the project, it looks now like they'll press ahead with certain pieces of the project, namely a Strabane bypass and an Omagh bypass. The route remains the same, to be completed sometime in the future, but the sections which form the bypasses seem to be moving ahead. They will be tied into the current A5 when completed but it's something for all you folks making the trip through Omagh and Strabane every day!!


  • Options
    #207
    Sponge Bob
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Is the A5 Strabane Bypass or the A5-N14 Link Road Also Strabane Bypass that you mean ( or both??)


  • Options
    #208
    kennykill
    Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭kennykill


    As far as I can gather it's the A5 section that bypasses Strabane. I'm not 100% though, it might/might not include the link!


  • Options
    #209
    spacetweek
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,958 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    kennykill wrote: »
    As far as I can gather it's the A5 section that bypasses Strabane. I'm not 100% though, it might/might not include the link!
    This is great news and in fairness is about all we could have expected here in the short to medium term.
    I could sense Wesley's palable disbelief up in NI at the A5 being the cause of all other NIRS projects getting put on hold - it was madness.


  • Options
    #210
    doopa
    Registered Users Posts: 435 ✭✭doopa


    spacetweek wrote: »
    This is great news and in fairness is about all we could have expected here in the short to medium term.
    I could sense Wesley's palable disbelief up in NI at the A5 being the cause of all other NIRS projects getting put on hold - it was madness.

    There is talk on the beeb about the money going to the A6 instead.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-16590334


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #211
    Redsoxfan
    Registered Users Posts: 5,251 ✭✭✭Redsoxfan


    Not sure if this is 'news' but seems to confirm that there will be enough funding released to cover Derry->Strabane and Omagh->Ballygawley

    http://www.highlandradio.com/2012/02/14/huge-boost-for-donegal-as-a5-gets-upgrade-funding/

    Every little helps I guess.


Advertisement