A5 - Derry Dual Carraigeway

kennykill · 15-12-2011 1:02pm

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!!

cargo · 15-12-2011 1:33pm

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.

spacetweek · 15-12-2011 4:43pm

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.

JupiterKid · 16-12-2011 2:11am

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

kennykill · 17-01-2012 10:57am

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!!

Sponge Bob · 17-01-2012 4:02pm

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

kennykill · 17-01-2012 4:59pm

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!

spacetweek · 17-01-2012 5:55pm

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.

doopa · 17-01-2012 6:14pm

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

Redsoxfan · 14-02-2012 12:02pm

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.

ardmacha · 14-02-2012 12:35pm

but seems to confirm that there will be enough funding released to cover Derry->Strabane and Omagh->Ballygawley

That seems to be the case.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17026868

Ballygawley - Aughnacloy is on the very long finger given the recent improvements and no clarity on the N2.
Strabane - Omagh will get done subsequently.

kennykill · 14-02-2012 12:46pm

Omagh to Ballygawley is south of Omagh. My reading of the links (plus RTE website) is that the Omagh bypass is NOT included. They get a hospital, stinks of politics!

Redsoxfan · 14-02-2012 1:06pm

Tbh, as someone who drives the route quite often (save for Derry-> Strabane), Strabane -> Omagh the most fustrating stretch. Strbane and Omagh ring roads not great, but not terrible either. Just my 2c.

kennykill · 14-02-2012 1:10pm

I don't drive in that part of the country at all so I can't comment on road quality or needed section upgrades.

The news tells me there's alot of political involvement, areas around Derry to Strabane and Omagh to Ballygawley will see investment, and then Omagh will get a hospital which shows investment in Omagh. I would have personally thought from the outside that an Omagh bypass was badly needed but seems the politicans have made the call.

It's great for the areas as there's jobs generation, road upgrade, and new health facilities. Hard to argue against any of that, it's just gonna take a while yet to by pass Omagh proper!

munchkin_utd · 14-02-2012 1:58pm

Redsoxfan wrote: »

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.

I think this (and the hospital announcement) is down to the fact that they have to burn 400million pounds of her majestys money by the end of this year.

This was mentioned last november on the BBC
"How will the Northern Ireland Executive spend £400m?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15686504

Its a vague enough article but my intrepretation is that the UK portion of the cash was still there but ringfenced for capital projects.

charlemont · 14-02-2012 3:00pm

It will be a great road to open up the north west and it also saves having to upgrade the A6 as A4 will meet the A4 at Ballygawley thus not only serving Derry Strabane Omagh to Dublin but to Lisburn and Belfast too.

I dont know · 14-02-2012 5:21pm

Coming from someone who’ll be commuting Omagh – Belfast every day, this is great news! Can’t wait til they get the diggers in! The Ballygawley – Dungannon dual carriageway has easily taken 10mins off the journey, and is nowhere near as frustrating as it used to be with tractors etc. so lets hope Omagh – Ballygawley is something similar.
It’s a pitty there wont be an Omagh by-pass as this will be a bottle neck for those travelling further north, but this is better than nothing.

Good to hear there’s some movement on the hospital too! Maybe soon we can remove the “Welcome to Omagh – 2x Morgues, 4x graveyards, 0x Hospitals – Drive Carefully

” signs

marmurr1916 · 15-02-2012 2:21am

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness chaired a specially convened meeting of the Executive at Stormont yesterday to agree the allocation of £583.7 million (€694 million) for six major projects.

More than half of the allocation – £330 million – will go to develop two sections of the A5, which runs from the Border at Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, to Derry city, a project which the Government had previously planned to support with £400 million of funding.

These sections will be from Derry to north of Strabane, and south of Omagh to Ballygawley in Co Tyrone.

The Executive is spending £105 million to take forward the A8 Belfast to Larne dual carriageway, and £57 million on the A2 at Greenisland on the outskirts of north Belfast.

...

He hoped that in the future, the Government would be in a position to help ensure the full upgrading of the A5.

Mr McGuinness said: “The economic difficulties experienced by the Irish Government have severely impacted on their support to date for the A5 project, but I hope in light of these developments that they will reprofile their expenditure and increase their commitment to the project in coming years.”

Under the St Andrews Agreement, the two administrations were to share the £800 million cost of upgrading the 50-mile A5 road, which would additionally have improved access to Letterkenny and north Donegal.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0215/1224311799362.html

spacetweek · 15-02-2012 2:09pm

charlemont wrote: »

It will be a great road to open up the north west and it also saves having to upgrade the A6 as A4 will meet the A4 at Ballygawley thus not only serving Derry Strabane Omagh to Dublin but to Lisburn and Belfast too.

I strongly doubt anyone would go so far out of their way, though.

charlemont · 15-02-2012 3:59pm

spacetweek wrote: »

I strongly doubt anyone would go so far out of their way, though.

I see what you mean, I hadn't thought of the M2/M6 to Randalstown which I suppose makes it a fairly quick journey between the cities, But I reckon going via Ballygawley wouldn't be much more than 10/20 miles in the distance.

munchkin_utd · 15-02-2012 4:58pm

charlemont wrote: »

I see what you mean, I hadn't thought of the M2/M6 to Randalstown which I suppose makes it a fairly quick journey between the cities, But I reckon going via Ballygawley wouldn't be much more than 10/20 miles in the distance.

it adds 32miles onto an otherwise 70mile journey direct.

youd want to be going at some rate to make up the extra miles on such a short journey

JupiterKid · 15-02-2012 5:49pm

The A6/M2 is by far the shortest and most direct route from Derry to Belfast - even if the entire A5 was upgraded overnight I suspect that most people from Derry city would continue to use the A6. And there are two major schemes in the pipeline for this route.

I'm glad to see some of the A5 project going ahead but I'm a bit puzzled that the Omagh to Ballygawley section is going ahead first. I would have thought that an Omagh bypass and the section between Omagh and Strabane would be more of a priority?

annfield1978 · 15-02-2012 6:52pm

good news, scheme will keep me busy this year anyhow

Sponge Bob · 15-02-2012 7:16pm

As this Derry-Strabanr scheme will finish north of Strabane the A5 link across to Donegal south of Lifford will be long fingered.

Redsoxfan · 16-02-2012 1:03pm

JupiterKid wrote: »

I'm glad to see some of the A5 project going ahead but I'm a bit puzzled that the Omagh to Ballygawley section is going ahead first. I would have thought that an Omagh bypass and the section between Omagh and Strabane would be more of a priority?

I said as much earlier. I wonder perhaps if Strabane - > Omagh is going to be the most contentious stretch from a planning & development perspective? It certainly seemed to be based on the amount of 'anti' signs were thrown up along this stretch.

What is the current status of the plan for the route? Has it or will it all be approved together or will it be submitted and approved in stages?

I dont know · 20-02-2012 9:44pm

Redsoxfan wrote: »

I said as much earlier. I wonder perhaps if Strabane - > Omagh is going to be the most contentious stretch from a planning & development perspective? It certainly seemed to be based on the amount of 'anti' signs were thrown up along this stretch.

What is the current status of the plan for the route? Has it or will it all be approved together or will it be submitted and approved in stages?

I think you're right about Strabane > Omagh being the most contentious stretch. There were a group of protesters camped out on the Strabane side of Newtownstewart for a long time - maybe they're putting up more of a fight than other landowners - maybe not.

I think Omagh > Ballygawley would have always taken priority over that stretch anyway, as it would have a higher volume of traffic & I'd say it has easily had a higher number of fatalities over the years,

Omagh is going to be an even more frustrating bottleneck without a by-pass!

Redsoxfan · 11-07-2012 6:26pm

Reported on Highland Radio today

http://www.highlandradio.com/2012/07/11/inquiry-gives-the-green-light-to-the-a5-upgrade-despite-2000-objections/

I know that only sections of the route have been approved for funding, but does this planning approval mean that in theory, when* funding is received, the other sections (i.e. Strabane->Omagh) can commence without further consulation/approval or does approval of the 'scheme' just mean that it can proceed to planning....

* very aware that this is likely to be when hell freezes over....

doopa · 01-08-2012 12:32am

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Reported on Highland Radio today

http://www.highlandradio.com/2012/07/11/inquiry-gives-the-green-light-to-the-a5-upgrade-despite-2000-objections/

I know that only sections of the route have been approved for funding, but does this planning approval mean that in theory, when* funding is received, the other sections (i.e. Strabane->Omagh) can commence without further consulation/approval or does approval of the 'scheme' just mean that it can proceed to planning....

* very aware that this is likely to be when hell freezes over....

Sounds like they will do it in bits...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-19062494
The project, which will cost £330m, will improve the roads between Ballygawley and Omagh - and New Buildings and Strabane.

cargo · 01-08-2012 5:00pm

Does anyone have any latest route plans for this yet? They seem to be changing the start finish points with every press release!!

Good to see that it'll tie directly into the Belfast DC at Ballygawley also. Where will it stop South of Omagh?

I dont know · 14-03-2013 4:04pm

Not much happening on this thread recently. Last week, construction was delayed yet again (see below)
Hopefully it goes ahead, and pretty soon. I know alot of guys were ready to start work on it pretty soon

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21754436
Judge 'minded to quash' A5 decision

A High Court judge has said he is minded to quash the regional development minister's decision to proceed with the A5 dual carriageway.

The A5 scheme forms part of a proposed key cross-border business route linking Dublin and north west Northern Ireland.

Mr Justice Stephens rejected the overwhelming majority of the applicant's grounds of challenge for those opposing the scheme.

However he upheld one of the grounds of appeal.

That was that appropriate assessment under the Habitats Directive should have been, but had not been, carried out.

On that basis, the judge indicated that he was minded to quash the minister's decision to begin constructing the dual carriageway.

However, he has given the department until Wednesday 20 March to make further submissions on whether they were in breach of the Habitats Directive.

Farmers, businessmen and landowners joined together under the Alternative A5 Alliance grouping in a legal challenge to the planned stretch of dual carriageway between Derry and Aughnacloy, County Tyrone.

Uncertainty now surrounds the overall project after the Irish government downgraded funding due to its tough economic circumstances.

Judicial review proceedings centred on the decision to press ahead with two sections of the route, for which the Northern Ireland Executive has approved £280m.

Work on the dual carriageway has been put on hold due to the legal intervention.

The FB page below has been providing regular updates;
https://www.facebook.com/SupportA5

ardmacha · 15-03-2013 8:12am

The point here is that most of the objections were thrown out. This concern about rivers doesn't affect the Omagh/Ballygawley section in any case, so this can go ahead even if there is a delay elsewhere.

munchkin_utd · 15-03-2013 10:45am

ok, officially the landowners etc are against it on ecological grounds.
Is there another reason because it makes no sense that businessmen and landowners are against it who would be set to gain from better access to their land and thus a bonanza cashwise if they were to sell it off?
And businessmen who are trading would benefit with their vehicles being able to get to markets quicker and more reliably.

In many places abroad, landowners and businesses near major infrastructural projects must contribute to the costs as they benefit from the rewards of the projects.
That makes sense. Better infrastructre = (normally) better business
Here though they have the infrastructure for free and dont want it!
It doesnt make logical sense.

Sponge Bob · 15-03-2013 11:05am

A lot of the objecting has to do with the overall project appearing to be a Fenian Plot directed at Loyal Farmers. Some of the known antis were on the fringes of _political_ loyalism and looking to stir things up.

EG > http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=2088

Then they acquired some strange bedfellows along the way eg here

Anyway there is an excellent piece by Wesley Johnston here and Ardmacha is right. The judgement has no effect on the project south of Omagh.

http://wesleyjohnston.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/a5-legal-challenge-what-now/

The challenge, therefore, concentrated not on the aforementioned general issues, but on six more specific points of procedure:
That the inspector at the public inquiry was biased in favour of the Department for Regional Development.

A breach of an EU obligation to send a description of/information about the scheme to the Irish Government.

Failure to carry out an appropriate assessment of Rivers Foyle and Finn Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive.

Failure to comply with the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive by not considering reasonable alternatives.

Inadequacy of the Environmental Statement under the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.

Breach of the applicants’ property rights and other rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Redsoxfan · 15-03-2013 7:46pm

munchkin_utd wrote: »

It doesnt make logical sense.

That would be an ecumenical matter...

nordydan · 15-03-2013 8:39pm

Sponge Bob wrote: »

A lot of the objecting has to do with the overall project appearing to be a Fenian Plot directed at Loyal Farmers. Some of the known antis were on the fringes of _political_ loyalism and looking to stir things up.

EG > http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=2088

Then they acquired some strange bedfellows along the way eg here

Anyway there is an excellent piece by Wesley Johnston here and Ardmacha is right. The judgement has no effect on the project south of Omagh.

http://wesleyjohnston.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/a5-legal-challenge-what-now/

...but by cross-border politics to provide better access, at huge cost to affected farmers, from Dublin to Donegal. Hence, the fervour with which it is being driven forward by the DRD Sinn Fein Minister, while roads with far higher traffic use are denied upgrading to dual carriageway (eg A26 east of Coleraine)

Funnily enough Jim is MLA for that area. A nice mix of tired old sectarianism and parish pump politics there from the boul Seamus...

I dont know · 19-03-2013 10:09am

Interesting reading from Wesley Johnston there. I'm pretty hopeful that the bit that most concerns me (Omagh-Ballygawley) will go ahead soon then. The sooner they get the whole thing done the better imo.

The DRD should be presenting any new evidence today then? Hope it goes well...

spacetweek · 19-03-2013 11:45am

I dont know wrote: »

Interesting reading from Wesley Johnston there. I'm pretty hopeful that the bit that most concerns me (Omagh-Ballygawley) will go ahead soon then. The sooner they get the whole thing done the better imo.

The DRD should be presenting any new evidence today then? Hope it goes well...

8 days is up tomorrow, looks like we need to wait until then.

Aquarius34 · 19-03-2013 12:31pm

I think the Border to Lifford section should go ahead first at least, it would give most of Donegal direct access to a high standard road to the south. This is the section that doesn't seem to have much objections.

cgcsb · 19-03-2013 12:35pm

with a border to lifford section completed, would it then be faster for Leterkenny-Belfast journeys to be made via the M1,A4, new A5? i.e. approaching Belfast city from the south.

Aquarius34 · 19-03-2013 12:47pm

cgcsb wrote: »

with a border to lifford section completed, would it then be faster for Leterkenny-Belfast journeys to be made via the M1,A4, new A5? i.e. approaching Belfast city from the south.

It would be close I would say. The current A6 is a fast moving decent road, bar the bit going through Dungiven. I still think the A6 would be marginally faster on it's current route.

I dont know · 20-03-2013 9:52am

From BBC this morning
DRD have to present the Habitats stuff today, but will a decision be made today?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21850668
A5 road project: Department legal submissions expected
A5 road No work can be done on the scheme until after the court case
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories

Judge 'minded to quash' A5 decision
A5 group may face £20k court bill
Delay sees millions 'cut' from A5

The Department for Regional Development (DRD) has until Wednesday to make further submissions in a legal case over the A5 dual carriageway project.

The road links Dublin with the north west of Northern Ireland. A group opposed to its upgrade took a legal challenge against it.

Last week, a judge said the DRD should have carried out a Habitats Directive assessment, but had not done so.

He said he was minded to quash the decision to proceed with the plan.

He rejected all the other grounds of appeal from those objecting to the project.
Uncertainty

Speaking last week, Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy said his department "will now prepare the necessary submissions in relation to the Habitats Directive".

Farmers, businessmen and landowners joined together under the Alternative A5 Alliance grouping in a legal challenge to the planned stretch of dual carriageway between Londonderry and Aughnacloy, County Tyrone.

Judicial review proceedings centered on the decision to press ahead with two sections of the route, for which the Northern Ireland Executive has approved £280m.

Work on the dual carriageway has been put on hold due to the legal intervention.

Uncertainty surrounds the overall project after the Irish government downgraded funding due to its tough economic circumstances.

spacetweek · 20-03-2013 12:28pm

What do you guys mean by Border to Lifford?
Do you mean the N14?

I dont know · 20-03-2013 12:41pm

Court is adjourned according to BBC
They don't give any more info
I assume the judge is to go away and look at whatever material the DRD produced todayNo suggestion of a date for him/her to give a decision

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21850668

A5 road project: Court challenge is adjourned
A5 road No work can be done on the scheme until after the court case

A court case challenging the redevelopment of the A5 between Derry and Aughnacloy, County Tyrone has been adjourned.

Farmers and landowners opposed the planned dual carriageway.

Last week, a judge said the Department for Regional Development (DRD) had not carried out the required Habitats Directive assessment.

He said he was minded to quash the decision to proceed but gave the DRD until Wednesday to make submissions.

He rejected all the other grounds of appeal from those objecting to the project.

EDIT:Adjourned to Friday 12th April according to twitter

I dont know · 20-03-2013 1:07pm

spacetweek wrote: »

What do you guys mean by Border to Lifford?
Do you mean the N14?

I assume they're on about the Aughnacloy border to Lifford.
i.e the Ballygawley-Omagh & Omagh-Strabane sections?

Con Logue · 20-03-2013 1:25pm

Omagh - Ballygawley funding has been allocated AFAIK by the Northern Ireland Executive. It would be effectively an extension of the A4 Dungannon - Ballygawley HQDC so Jim A. can't really object - No "fenian" money will be paving Loyal Ulster for some considerable time yet.

Most of the objections appear to be "compo" related by landowners, in spite of sundry campaigners hoping for a Lazarus like resurrection of the Portadown - Derry railway. Not wanting to fuel the Guckian Vendetta but it ain't going to happen.

In any case, the A5 is not fit for purpose for much of its length. It's a relatively narrow, twisted road with no hard shoulders and very few places where it is safe to pass. Typical of NI road construction - the A28 that branches off the A5 towards Armagh beyond Aughnacloy is like a airport runway in comparison.

I dont know · 20-03-2013 1:42pm

Better railway infrastructure throughout the island would be great, but as you say it ain't going to happen.
The AA5A seem to be clinging on to it as a possibility and are tweeting THIS article from the Derry Journal
It's a pity the Great Northern Railway through Omagh is gone, but it must have closed for a reason (lack of use/too expensive to run) It would have been useful in the days before I could drive.

Sponge Bob · 20-03-2013 3:18pm

I dont know wrote: »

Better railway infrastructure throughout the island would be great, but as you say it ain't going to happen.
The AA5A seem to be clinging on to it as a possibility and are tweeting THIS article from the Derry Journal

Simplest way to do that is build it ALONGSIDE an N15 and N17 Dual carriageway from Tuam to Lifford , all the railway old alingments in between are crap twisty substandard light or narrow guage turnips.

I prefer straight lines to Arcs me.

fullstop · 20-03-2013 4:49pm

Aquarius34 wrote: »

It would be close I would say. The current A6 is a fast moving decent road, bar the bit going through Dungiven. I still think the A6 would be marginally faster on it's current route.

Well the A5, M1 route is only 8 minutes longer as is according to google maps so it would be faster I'd think.

I dont know · 08-04-2013 3:27pm

Well feck that!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22063819

Judge rules against A5 road project
A5 road The department has been given seven days to appeal the decision
Continue reading the main story

A High Court judge has confirmed he is quashing the decision to go ahead with a new £330m dual carriageway project

However, Mr Justice Stephens put his order on hold for one week.

He granted the Department for Regional Development a seven-day stay to lodge any appeal to his ruling on the A5.

He also awarded legal costs to the group of farmers, landowners and supporters seeking to block work on 85km stretches between Derry and Aughnacloy, County Tyrone.

Last month, the Alternative A5 Alliance won their judicial review challenge to the planned new route due to a breach of a habitats directive.

The scheme, the largest of its kind ever in Northern Ireland, forms part of a proposed key cross-border business route linking Dublin and the north west.

Following the verdict, lawyers for the department sought to have the court order put on hold.

They wanted time to meet a requirement to carry out an appropriate assessment required under the directive.

But Mr Justice Stephens refused, citing the potential for a public inquiry and potential scope for legal confusion.

"The appropriate course in the exercise of my discretion is for the orders to be quashed," he confirmed.

However, acknowledging the potential for an appeal of his decision in the case, the judge agreed to a more limited delay.

"The applicants are entitled to plan their own businesses and their own lives," he said.

"They should not be left in any doubt about what may or may not occur in circumstances such as these where the department has acted unlawfully in breach of a habitats directive.

"I'm prepared to grant a stay until 12 noon on April 15 2013."

The legal challenge centred on the decision to press ahead with two sections of the route, for which the Stormont Executive has approved £280m.

Counsel for the Alliance, instructed by C&J Black Solicitors, claimed it has now become a different project, and that no proper environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been carried out.

In his first judgment last month, Mr Justice Stephens dismissed all but one of the campaign group's claims.

He held there had been a failure to carry out an appropriate assessment of the Rivers Foyle and Finn Special Areas of Conservation under the habitats directive.
'More harm than good'

Following the final determination a member of the Alternative A5 Alliance's committee expressed delight at the outcome.

Laura Kwasniewska said: "The decision has been quashed, albeit with a seven-day stay.

"We feel we have been vindicated and we are also relieved to have our costs paid."

She added: "This is a scheme that would have done much more harm than good, it's not in the public interest.

"It was never justified by either the traffic figures or indeed by the empty promises of economic growth, it would have been both costly and environmentally destructive."

She claimed ways of upgrading the existing A5 should now be explored.

"That would be far less costly and would deliver improved journey times and benefits for all the community."

08-04-2013 8:04pm

I dont know wrote: »

Well feck that!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22063819

Lots of unionists like Lord Laird want to see this stopped and see it as a threat for some reason. Lord Laird sounds like he belongs in a cave.:eek:

Lord Laird,
"I am delighted that the politically motivated motorway from the border with the Irish Republic and running through the United Kingdom to Londonderry is not to happen. The A5 highway was always seen as a threat to the unionist population in the west of the province. Proof of that is that its name for many in Republican circles is the United Ireland Highway".

A5 - Derry Dual Carraigeway

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