Debate contribution: A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass
Debate contribution by Mr John O'Dowd on .
- MLA
- Mr John O'Dowd
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 20 February 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Adjournment
- Heading
- A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4381322
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Thank you, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I also congratulate you on your appointment to your role. I thank Deborah Erskine MLA for initiating the debate on the Enniskillen southern bypass scheme. I add my thanks to my Executive colleagues and will take this opportunity to recognise their commitment to the project, as demonstrated by yesterday's announcement to provide the necessary funding. It is also important to note that that was one of the first decisions of the newly reformed Executive, so it shows an intent to tackle regional inequality. The £16·2 million capital funding that the Executive agreed, alongside the approved early release of £12·5 million from the Mid South West city and growth deal, provides security for the delivery of this critical infrastructure project. That is welcome news for the Department as well as for local businesses and communities in Enniskillen, which are supportive of this much-needed project. The £2·1 million bypass will provide a new transport link to the southern side of the town, improving connectivity between the A4 Dublin Road and the A4 Sligo Road. As a number of Members mentioned, the transport link will also provide 3·5 kilometres of active travel for walking and cycling, extending along the Dublin and Derrylin roads to connect the existing non-motorised user infrastructure. The scheme will also alleviate traffic congestion in Enniskillen town centre, which will reduce delays and improve average journey times by approximately 50%, and it will bring much-needed improvement to road safety. It will also bring benefits to the town centre environment by improving air quality and reducing noise levels. That will create a unique opportunity to enhance active travel and placemaking measures in the town centre, with reduced levels of through traffic. That is an exciting opportunity for Enniskillen, which is a very picturesque town in a beautiful setting that is ideally set for active travel. That measure will involve consultation with local businesses, communities and elected representatives on the best way to bring it forward, but Enniskillen is ideally placed for such a scheme. While the construction of major roads projects can significantly impact on the climate, I am pleased to advise that this scheme will show an overall reduction in carbon emissions in the long term and will have a beneficial impact on the climate. In fact, the environmental impact assessment shows that the combined emissions for the proposed scheme after opening, including the adjacent road network, will lead to an overall reduction in emissions of -4·7% when compared with not having the scheme. Consequently, the scheme has a carbon payback period of 28·8 years for the carbon emissions in construction. My Department has considered ways in which the building of this important infrastructure can be mitigated through landscaping opportunities throughout the site, as mentioned by Tom Elliott, who has just come back. A landscaping plan has been developed, and we have already been working proactively alongside Ulster Wildlife to ensure that a significant amount of native tree planting, hedgerow and wildflower planting has been incorporated into the design. As an example, look at the A6. That is a longer stretch of road, but 1·2 million trees are planted along it, which will have huge beneficial impacts on biodiversity in that area. It is amazing that, even though we are building a road — roads bring not only opportunities but challenges for the environment — we can do things to improve the local environment. That is a really exciting part of the project. Funding for the scheme will now allow procurement to commence — Deborah asked about this — in April 2024, and the ability for the Department to meet that timescale means that the seasonal windows for earthworks, as well as works over and in the water, can be progressed to the most advantageous time frames. Again, environmental concerns have been raised about the time frame for constructing the road. If procurement goes ahead in April 2024, we hope that construction will start in spring/summer 2025, with around a two-year time frame for building. Thankfully, to date, there have been no legal challenges to the project. As far as I am aware, it is overwhelmingly supported in the local community. I hope that, at this stage, we do not run into any legal difficulties. If we do not, construction can start within that time frame and be delivered quite quickly. As I have said, this is a significant milestone for an important project. As Mark Durkan said, Ministers would much prefer to be cutting ribbons than cutting budgets, so this is an easy one for me. I doubt that I will have very many easy debates in the Chamber, but this is certainly one. I will turn to Members' comments. I have already covered some of the issues that they raised. I note that a Chamber debate on the all-Ireland rail review is upcoming. I also note Fermanagh's absence from that review. I will pursue that matter and engage on it in the time ahead. Jemma Dolan mentioned the disparity in the treatment of rural roads. I hope to be able to announce a dedicated funding programme for rural roads. Rural communities are often left behind when it comes to infrastructure, and I would like to see rural roads being treated in a more equitable manner. Patrick Brown chanced his arm greatly by mentioning Ballynahinch and Downpatrick. I am sure that he can bring forward a debate on those measures, or, if he writes to me, I will be more than happy to engage with him.
He has a question in already. We now know where we will have the tea and coffee after we cut the ribbon on the bridge. We will have it in the Fermanagh unionist hall so that we can look at Weir's bridge.
In all seriousness, this project has taken into consideration the town centre. We worked in collaboration with the local council. There is an opportunity now for the local council, ourselves and other agencies to see how the town centre can benefit from this project commercially, business-wise and even through the living environment. I believe that it will make a positive change, but we cannot just take that for granted: it has to be moved forward. On the land ownership issue, all the land that we require has been vested. I believe that I am correct in saying that. The land issues have been resolved. I think that I have covered everybody's general comments. It is a good start that I am able to stand here and, as a result of a collective decision by the Executive, announce that funding is available for a project. All lights are green, and construction work will start in early summer 2025.
1,121 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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