Council unhappy with proposed name change for roads committee

EFFORTS by Donegal County Council to change the name of a collaborative group established to campaign for major upgrades to the A5 and N2 routes may be on the road to nowhere.

Meetings of the A5-N2 committee have been taking place for a number of years between Fermanagh & Omagh District Council, Donegal County Council, as well as Mid-Ulster Council and Monaghan Co Council.

The committee’s aim is to ensure the completion of the A5 dual-carriageway between the border at Aughnacloy and Newbuildings, as well as improvements to the N2, which begins across the border in Monaghan.

But a proposal from Donegal asking that the name of the committee be changed to ‘N2-A5-TEN-T North West Transport Corridor Committee’ has been slammed by their counterparts in Fermanagh and Omagh.

The inclusion of TEN-T is a reference to Donegal’s biggest road improvement scheme, which seeks to upgrade the Letterkenny to Manorcunningham Road and the Manorcunningham to Lifford Road dual carriageway which will l ead onwards to Strabane and the A5.

However, local politicians have described the new name as ‘long-winded’, and believe that the primary focus should be on the A5 improvements rather than expanding the committee’s remit.

Speaking at a recent meeting of the council’s environmental services committee, Stephen Donnelly of Alliance compared the new name to “something out of Star Wars.”

“When I read about this proposal I was a bit puzzled,” he said.

“If this name was implemented, then I don’t believe anyone would use it in its entirety.

“I can understand why our colleagues in Donegal might want a change, but our focus must be on the A5 rather than broadening the remit out.”

Anne Marie Fitzgerald of Sinn Fein criticised the proposed name, deeming it “long-winded” and reiterated that the N2-A5 group was a joint venture aimed at improving both routes

Bernard McGrath of the SDLP echoed these sentiments, expressing his surprise at the proposed name change.

He asserted, “For me, the whole focus of this group needs to be on the A5. It has to be at the forefront.”