Debate contribution: A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass
Debate contribution by Lord Elliott on .
- MLA
- Lord Elliott
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 20 February 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Adjournment
- Heading
- A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4381308
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I welcome the discussion this evening and thank Deborah Erskine for securing the Adjournment debate. I will not talk about Downpatrick or Ballynahinch, but it is good to see the Minister for Infrastructure in the Chamber and to have heard the announcement, yesterday evening, of this long-awaited scheme in Enniskillen.
I remember being on site on a number of occasions many years ago with, as it was then, the Department for Regional Development's Roads Service — it was not called the Department for Infrastructure — to talk about the project. It goes quite close to the old, iconic Weir's bridge that goes across the River Erne. If Members want to see a photograph or a painting of that, they should visit Fermanagh unionist hall, where there is still a big mural of the old Weir's bridge on the wall. It looks really well. The project is a welcome boost. It will certainly be a welcome boost for someone who has sat in traffic queues on the Belfast Road or the Irvinestown Road on a Friday evening behind scores of caravans, caravanettes and camper vans waiting to get into the town. Some caveats need to be in place. We should not forget about the town centre. I hope that having less traffic going through the town centre will mean more availability for parking and encourage more people to stop in the town of Enniskillen to do some shopping or go for a coffee or some food when they are travelling through. The second issue concerns landowners. I am sure that we will hear from the Minister that they have all been sorted at this stage, but a few issues may still have to be resolved. I ask that that is done in a fair and reasonable manner and that landowners are given the accommodation works that they require. The third issue is visibility. Lough Erne is a key tourist area — you are going into the upper lough there — and I want to be assured that any enhancement works will look reasonably aesthetically pleasing to general visitors to the area and locals alike. Finally, I want to be assured that any local people who need accommodation works and noise barriers will get them, because that is important. The works will create a lot more noise and traffic, and there are a number of residents in that area. I hope that they will be accommodated. I suppose that I am marking the Minister's cards. I hope that he takes recognition of the issues. In general, however, this is a welcome development, and I thank the Executive for bringing it forward.
439 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Awaiting analysis
This record has not been analysed yet. It is not counted in any total until it has been assessed.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.