A5: ‘This must be a watershed moment’ – hopes raised as Stormont expected to confirm plans for road upgrade

THE Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd is expected to announce plans for an upgrade of the A5 this afternoon.

Linking Derry with Augnacloy in Co Tyrone, there have been frequent protests over the long-awaited A5 upgrade with a total of 54 road deaths since a plan was first approved by the Executive in 2007.

Last week, classmates of a Co Tyrone teenager who died on the A5 a day after attending a protest calling for the road’s upgrade travelled to Stormont to meet with Mr O’Dowd, presenting him with 54 crosses to symbolise the lost lives.

Kamile Vaicikonyte (17), a Year 13 pupil at the St Ciaran’s College Ballygawley, died in the crash alongside her 19-year-old boyfriend Jamie Moore from Omagh in May.

The BBC report that Mr O’Dowd is likely to confirm that work on the A5 will begin on a phased basis, but it is not clear if the plans will include a full dual-carriageway on the 58 mile road between Derry and Aughnacloy.

Mr O’Dowd has previously stated that his department has completed all the necessary paperwork and only required Executive approval.

The total cost of the upgrade is estimated to be around £1.6bn, with the Irish government already pledging £400m under the Shared Island funding scheme.

The SDLP’s West Tyrone MLA, Daniel McCrossan, has campaigned on the issue for a decade and called for the work to begin immediately.

“This is a momentous day for this entire area and first and foremost my thoughts are with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one on this road,” he said.

“This has been a very long journey – far too long – and their strength and courage has been a constant source of inspiration and we would never have seen this delivered without them.

“The campaign to build the A5 has been my number one priority throughout my time in politics and I have carried on the efforts of my SDLP predecessors in working with everyone to see these important upgrades carried out.”

Praising the many other campaigners for their determination, he said: “This must be a watershed moment – it cannot be another false dawn. The A5 is key to the future of this entire region, not only in saving lives and preventing injuries, but in creating economic opportunities by making our towns and cities better connected, bringing much needed investment and jobs.

“We must also have assurances from the Executive and Minister that the A5 will be delivered in full. We have seen repeatedly in the past how phased projects of this nature have stalled or been beset with delays. After such a long wait we need work to start – and finish – as soon as possible and I will not stop pushing this issue until these improvements are delivered and this road is fully built.”