A5 road upgrade needed urgently, Assembly hears

ASSEMBLY members from West Tyrone were among those to take part in a special adjournment debate on the need for a dual carriageway on the A5.

The debate, called by the West Tyrone Sinn Fein MLA, Nicola Brogan, took place at the end of business in the Stormont Assembly last Wednesday. Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, was in attendance.

Ms Brogan said she had brought the debate to reinforce the importance of safety on the A5. She added that for the safety of people from West Tyrone and beyond, politicians needed to come together to ensure that the A5 was upgraded and that the upgrade ‘proceeds at pace’.

SDLP MLA for West Tyrone, Daniel McCrossan, said there was great ‘grief and frustration’ at the funeral which he attended of Petey McNamee in Beragh. He described the road as the “most dangerous road on these islands”, and that it needed to be addressed quickly.

Sinn Fein West Tyrone MLA, Maoliosa McHugh called on the Infrastructure Minister to ensure that ‘all the t’s are crossed and the i’s dotted’ to ensure a higher probability of success in the forthcoming Public Inquiry.

Fellow Sinn Fein West Tyrone MLA, Declan McAleer, said there must be an examination of what is needed to ensure that planning permission is granted for the road.

Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, said officials from her department had been in touch with the Planning Appeals Commission to ensure that the Public Inquiry takes place at the earliest possible opportunity.

She said that, as well as working to ensure the A5 dual carriageway is completed, she was also focused on delivery of schemes to improve the existing road.

The Minister added that it was now expected that the earliest date for completion of the A5 is 2028.