“High risk’ of accidents would remain without A5 dual-carriageway

A PUBLIC Inquiry into plans to build a £1.6 million A5 dual-carriageway has heard that key collision hotspots would remain if alternatives involving the upgrading of the existing were given the go-ahead.

Officials from the Department for Infrastructure were requested to come up with proposals to improve the road, without building the dual-carriageway off-line from the existing route.

They have emerged with two alternatives, one of which would mean the introduction of so-called ‘2+1’ passing areas at various stages along the 58km route, with by-passes of Omagh and Strabane and an additional ‘2+1’ near Derry alongside the by-passes and other ‘2+1’ schemes.

Both alternatives have been estimated to be much cheaper in terms of finance than the preferred option of the dual-carriageway.

Howevever, at the Inquiry, officials from the Department said that the objectives of the scheme would not be achieved unless a dual-carriageway is built.

They added that key hotspots for collisions, including Garvaghey, Ballymacilroy Hill and at the Moylagh Road junction near Beragh, would also remain.

Legal representatives from the Alternative A5 Alliance said that the alternatives to a dual-carriageway were ‘feasible and credible.’ Conor Fegan, counsel for the Alternative A5 Alliance said that the group had consistently argued that the alternatives to the dualling would represent a ‘more proportionate’ approach to the road.

But West Tyrone Sinn Fein MP, Orfhlaith Begley, said that the question of funding for the alternatives needed to be considered, as the Irish Government had committed a financial contribution based on the dualling proposal.

The Inquiry continues tomorrow (Friday) which is the last scheduled day for submissions.