Executive gives green light to A5 upgrade on ‘momentous’ day

The Northern Ireland Executive has given the green light for the long-awaited upgrade to the A5 road.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly paid tribute to campaigners and many families of those who have lost loved ones along the stretch of road.

There have been 57 deaths on the A5, which links Derry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006.

A scheme to turn the road into a dual carriageway was first approved by the Executive in 2007 but it has been held up by legal challenges and uncertainty over funding.

Work will begin on the Strabane to Ballygawley section early next year, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said on Wednesday.

“This will be the first phase of the construction work covering over half of the total project, 34 miles out of the total 53 miles, with my intention to make a formal decision on the remaining sections at the earliest opportunity,” he said.

He added that it will take an estimated five years of “intensive construction work along this part of the route” followed by “some continuing work”.

“Today is a momentous day, as the Executive has agreed to move forward with the long-awaited proposal to build the A5,” Ms O’Neill said at a Stormont press conference on Wednesday.

“There have been many setbacks along the way on this journey, and they’ve been all well documented, but certainly today, I think we turn a new chapter in terms of where we are to fully realise and really fully enjoy the benefits of the road.”

Ms Little-Pengelly said: “I have no doubt that this will be welcomed by many, many people in the west of the province and indeed across Northern Ireland.

“It does bring much-needed certainly after such a long period of time, it will improve connectivity and, of course, importantly, it will address road safety issues.”