A5 safety discussion to be held at council meeting today

A SERIES of safety measures aimed at reducing further fatalities on the A5 will be proposed at a meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council tonight.
The motion comes in the wake of last month’s High Court ruling by Mr Justice McAlinden, which quashed approval for the long-awaited £1.2 billion A5 dual carriageway through West Tyrone.
The ruling was met with dismay by campaigners and families who have long called for the road upgrade, but it was welcomed by environmental groups and the Alternative A5 Alliance, who had successfully challenged the original approval granted by former Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd.
Current Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has since confirmed her intention to seek Executive approval to appeal the High Court judgment.
In the meantime, Ulster Unionist councillors on Fermanagh and Omagh Council are proposing a motion calling for immediate safety measures along the existing A5.
Quoting Minister Kimmins’ own description of the A5 as ‘the most dangerous road in Ireland’, the motion states that the ‘apparent acceptance of the loss of life within our district is totally unacceptable’.
The motion also follows renewed efforts from other local authorities to progress the stalled road project.
Both Derry City and Strabane and Mid Ulster District Councils have written to Minister Kimmins seeking a meeting to discuss next steps.
Mid Ulster Council reaffirmed its backing for the A5 scheme and committed to working with the other four councils along the route, as well as with the Minister, to ensure the project proceeds as soon as possible.
In a separate letter, Derry City and Strabane Council welcomed Minister Kimmins’ pledge to engage with the A5/N2 group of councils, which spans both sides of the border.
“We support the Minister in assessing the judgement and urgently considering options for a way forward,” the letter stated.