Roads Service receives Inspector’s Report on A5 scheme

The Public Inquiry into the A5 Western Transport Corridor dual carriageway, one of five key transport corridors identified in the Regional Transportation Strategy, ended on 1 July 2011. The inspectors have carried out follow-up site visits and considered all the evidence from the Inquiry to complete their Report, which will now be considered by the Department for Regional Development’s Roads Service.

The Minister said: ‘My Department’s Roads Service are now considering the Report’s recommendations and hope to publish the Departmental statement, outlining the Department’s position on the Report’s findings and recommendations, in early summer. The Inspector’s Report will also be made available to the public at that time.”

Danny Kennedy added: “Roads Service will continue to progress the A5 scheme by having further meetings with landowners, over the next few months, to address issues arising out of the Public Inquiry process. These discussions are essential to help inform the Departmental Statement, which will set out the way forward for the scheme.”

Subject to the outcome of the Public Inquiry process, the Northern Ireland Executive has agreed to take forward two sections of the A5 scheme, between New Buildings and Strabane, (approximately 15 km) and between Omagh and Ballygawley, (approximately 22km). Both sections of the A5, subject to the outcome of the Public Inquiry process, could commence construction in autumn 2012.

The total cost of both schemes is estimated to be over £300 million but the exact costs of each scheme will not be established until after the outcome of the Public Inquiry process.