Debate contribution: A5 Western Transport Corridor: Dual Carriageway Project

Debate contribution by Mr John O'Dowd on 7 October 2024.

MLA

Mr John O'Dowd

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

7 October 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Ministerial Statements

Heading

A5 Western Transport Corridor: Dual Carriageway Project

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4578920

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle

for the opportunity to address the Assembly. I wish to make the following statement about the Executive's flagship A5 western corridor dual carriageway project, following the Executive's agreement last week to my decision to proceed. The A5 western corridor dual carriageway scheme was recognised as a flagship project by the Executive in 2015 and has been a long-standing commitment of the Executive and the British and Irish Governments. The whole scheme is approximately 85 kilometres in length, extending from Newbuildings to south of Aughnacloy where the existing A5 joins with the N2 at the border. It will provide a continuous new dual carriageway, generally parallel with the existing A5 corridor, with a number of junctions that will facilitate access to the various towns, villages and hamlets along the route of the corridor that are currently served by the existing A5, as well as links to other strategic routes. The proposed new A5 dual carriageway project is, first and foremost, about saving lives. Sadly, we are all familiar with the news reports about the 57 fatalities that occurred on the road between April 2006 and April 2024, and hundreds more injuries have been suffered that have not grabbed the headlines. Lives, families and communities have been devastated so frequently by the loss of a friend or loved one. I have met grieving families and witnessed their heartache at first hand, so I was pleased that, following the agreement of my Executive colleagues last week, I was able to announce my decision to proceed with the construction of the first stretch of the A5 upgrade, which is between Strabane and Ballygawley. That is in line with the Planning Appeals Commission's (PAC) recommendation that it is in the wider public interest that that section proceed. The stretch covers almost two thirds of the project — 55 kilometres, or 34 miles, of 85 kilometres, or approximately 53 miles. My intention is to make a formal decision on the remaining sections at the earliest opportunity. The experience of the adjoining A4 dualling scheme tells us that we can be confident that improved safety profiles will be delivered on the new A5 dualling scheme. A key objective of the scheme, therefore, has always been to improve road safety, but it is also about improving journey times and reliability in order to meet the needs of a modern society. The new dual carriageway is also of significant strategic importance to the north-west region and our wider island, helping to tackle regional imbalance, improving the economy, job prospects and prosperity, and connecting communities. In its opening remarks to the public inquiry of April 2023, the Planning Appeals Commission commented that it wanted to bring to an end the long saga of the A5 scheme. In making my decision, I also want to bring an end to that uncertainty insofar as it is in my power to do so. My decision is to proceed with approximately 55 kilometres of new dual carriageway from a junction just south of Strabane, which will be known as junction 8, to the proposed junction close to Ballygawley, which will be known as junction 15, including a short westward extension of the existing A4 dual carriageway to join to the new road. That amounts to nearly two thirds of the scheme's full length. My decision is in line with recommendation 30 of the PAC's final advisory report from the 2020 and 2023 public inquiries. The recommendation is that, subject to certain conditions, my Department should proceed with that part of the scheme. I reassure Members that I remain fully committed to progressing the entirety of the scheme and to taking a statutory decision on whether to proceed with the remaining parts, which go from Newbuildings to south of Strabane and from Ballygawley to the border south of Aughnacloy, at the earliest opportunity. My Department continues to work to progress those remaining parts. The 2023 PAC report raised a number of issues with the length of road between Newbuildings and Strabane, the main one being the potential for increased flood risk in the River Foyle basin. Work is ongoing to consider and address the PAC's recommendations on that. As part of that work, my officials have initiated and are progressing extensive engagement with the Irish Government's Department of Transport, Donegal County Council and the Office of Public Works (OPW). That work is ongoing, with the aim of developing a common position on how to mitigate the flood risks. I am confident that the issue, which the PAC raised, can be resolved in due course, and I do not see a reason to delay progress on other parts of the scheme. I remain committed to delivering the length of dual carriageway from Ballygawley to the border. Recently, at the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) transport sectoral meeting on 27 June, the NSMC agreed:

"the A5 dualling and cross-border linked road projects including the N2 Clontibret to Border Road Scheme"

are crucial:

"to the development of the region, improving road safety and stimulating economic growth."

The NSMC agreed that both Administrations should continue to work collaboratively, and it agreed to establish a new cross-border working group to reinforce that collaboration:

"specifically in the continued development of the N2 Clontibret to Border ... and ... the A5, from Ballygawley to the border"

road schemes:

"including the proposal for a seamless cross-border link road ... to ensure successful outcomes through the planning processes."

In making my decision, I considered the PAC's final advisory report from the public inquiries that were held in 2016, 2020 and 2023; all representations that were made, including landowners' concerns; all advice that was received from public authorities; all environmental information; the results of transboundary consultations; policy considerations; and all information and materials relating to the scheme. I did so, having also eliminated the risks of adverse effects on the scheme on special areas of conservation and special protection areas, following appropriate assessments of those risks. My Department concurs with the PAC's conclusions that that part of the scheme will bring large benefits for road safety, journey times and economic competitiveness and significant benefits for the balancing of regional infrastructure provision. My Department also concurs with the PAC that, for that part of the A5 western transport corridor, the substantial benefits offered by the proposed offline dual carriageway outweigh the adverse environmental impacts and justify any interferences with the human rights of individuals who may be affected by the scheme. Regard has been given to the environmental statement of 2016, the environmental statement amendment of 2019 and the environmental statement amendment of 2022; all other advice and environmental information; the updated August 2024 reports to inform an appropriate assessment; the consultation responses on those assessments; and the advice and recommendations from the public bodies. As such, the likely significant effects of the proposed scheme have been assessed, and the information presented is sufficient to inform the judgements on the decision to proceed with that part of the scheme. The appropriate assessments, which have been undertaken, are reflected in reports. Those will be published in the public notice. In light of the content of the reports, it is considered that the construction and operation of that part of the scheme will not by itself or in combination with other plans or projects adversely affect the integrity of special areas of conservation, special protection areas and Ramsar sites in view of their conservation objectives. In deciding to proceed with part of the scheme at this time, my Department has set out in detail in the now published departmental statement the consideration that was given to the PAC's recommendations. My decision to proceed is also subject to my Department's commitment to carrying out mitigation measures and other works and conditions summarised in the Department's statement that are relevant to that part of the scheme. Further information on my decision, the departmental statement, the PAC report in October 2023 and associated documents are available for viewing via my Department's website. In line with my decision to proceed, I have instructed my officials to make the necessary direction orders, the vesting orders and the stopping up of private accesses orders relevant to that part of the scheme. My decision on those orders will be subject to my Department's commitment to carry out the mitigations and other works referred to in the departmental statement. In accordance with the normal procedure, I have invited the Infrastructure Committee to consider the direction order and stopping up order papers at its meeting this coming Wednesday. Subject to its consideration, I hope to formalise my decision through a notice in the local press in the following week, which is the week commencing 14 October. That will also bring the above orders into effect, and the lands will then formally come into my Department's ownership around mid-November. As part of that process, all landowners whose land is to be vested will receive correspondence from my Department that sets out the vesting process and the opportunities that we will provide for them to have any further queries that they may have answered. The completion of vesting will allow contractors to complete the environmental surveys and archaeological and geotechnical investigations to inform their detailed design. Additional enabling works, such as site clearance and fencing in advance of the main construction contracts, could commence early next year. The current programme for construction of the length of the new road from south of Strabane through to the south of Omagh, including a bypass at Omagh, indicates that work on that stretch will commence by the middle of next year, while work on the length of road south of Omagh and Ballygawley will commence in early 2026. Total construction is estimated to take place over five years. I reassure everyone that I remain fully committed to delivering the entire 85 kilometres of the A5 scheme. My reason for starting with the Strabane to Ballygawley section is to ensure that that key length of the project is not delayed, particularly because it has had the most fatalities. I very much hope that everyone can now get behind that much-needed and long-awaited scheme in the interests of the greater good of our communities and future generations.

I thank the Member for his comments, particularly in relation to the work that my officials have carried out on the scheme, which, at times, has been intense and, at other times, has been well above and beyond the call of duty. I cannot give the Member an estimated time for the completion of the entire scheme now. The work that we are preparing to carry out on the phase that I have announced will take around five years from commencement, with a full phase of construction starting mid-next year and preparatory works and advance schemes starting early next year. I will most likely have to go through preparations for the other parts of the scheme similar to those that I have done for this one. The Newbuildings to Strabane and Ballygawley to Aughnacloy sections may require a public inquiry. All those procedures will have to be followed and will dictate the time before a final decision is made.

I thank the Member for her question. As the Member stated in her opening comments, this is a flagship project of the Executive, so the Executive have committed to delivering the project in line with all our statutory obligations. I am confident that, following the agreement of the Executive last Wednesday, this section of road is now fully funded, and I am confident, given that the entire route has been committed to by the Executive, the Irish Government and, indeed, the British Government, that finances will be made available to complete the entirety of the A5 for the reasons that I outlined in my statement: road safety, ending regional imbalance, improving the economic outlook for that region and ensuring that we give all our communities an equal opportunity to thrive.

I thank the Member for his question. I reassure him that, although we announced my decision on the Strabane to Ballygawley section on Wednesday, work has been going on, over a significant period, in relation to the other sections. My departmental officials, along with their Southern counterparts, have been analysing the recommendations of the Planning Appeals Commission and looking particularly at the concerns about flooding at the Newbuildings to Strabane section. We were aware of the concerns about flooding, and my Department put mitigations forward to the PAC. The PAC continues to have concerns about that. My officials, along with our Southern counterparts, are working their way through this and want to be in a position, as soon as they can, to bring recommendations to me so that I can carry out my statutory functions in that regard. You will note that I stated that the NSMC has set up a working group that includes officials on both sides of the border so that we can see how we progress that section and ensure that our plans and the plans of Southern officials literally meet up in the right place in terms of connecting the A5 to the N2. I cannot give a definitive time frame, but I assure the Member that work in that regard has been going on and continues.

We have put forward a legally robust departmental statement. We will defend that robustly if any legal challenge arises.

Once my Department publishes the notice in the papers, which will happen from 14 October onwards, the vesting process will take, I think, around a month to move into place. All affected landowners will be notified in due course. There has been an ongoing conversation with those farmers, because the project has been going on for so long. However, like everybody else, they received confirmation of my proposals last Wednesday. They will receive updated information in due course. Once the land is vested, Land and Property Services (LPS) will engage with the affected landowners on how and what compensation will be paid to each of them.

I am confident that the scheme has the potential to save lives and reduce road traffic collisions on that stretch of road. The Member will be familiar with the A4. Prior to the A4 being built, there were significant numbers of casualties on that road: in the 10 years since it was built, there have been two deaths. Although one death is too many, that shows that, in certain circumstances, when you provide the proper infrastructure, you can significantly reduce road deaths and serious injury.

In the past two years, we have spent considerable amounts of money on A5 schemes, particularly in the areas where the most significant collisions have been recorded. I, along with my officials, will keep that under review. Where continued investment is required, that will take place ahead of any planned upgrade.

The decision to move ahead with that section is in line with the Planning Appeals Commission's recommendation. The section from Ballygawley to Aughnacloy was never confirmed in any of the previous announcements or reports; it has always been a work in progress. The section from Newbuildings to Strabane was confirmed in previous announcements and reports. When my officials were at the Planning Appeals Commission's sittings, they presented a proposal on how, we believe, the flooding concerns in that area could be dealt with. The Planning Appeals Commission continued to raise concerns about that. Therefore, rather than going ahead with an announcement about the two sections and possibly facing a successful legal challenge on both, we thought that it was better to fully understand and respond to the flooding concerns raised in the Planning Appeals Commission's report. Today's announcement allows the first section to move ahead while we continue to investigate solutions to the flooding concerns on the other section.

I have been in correspondence with the Taoiseach. I have spoken to Ministers at various events and formally engaged with them at the North/South Ministerial Council. There is regular engagement between my officials and their counterparts in the Department of Transport in Dublin. We have discussed at length the Irish Government's funding commitments, which remain steadfast. They are aware of my plans, and we will continue to engage with each other about the spending profile that we will require from the Executive and the Irish Government.

I, along with you and Deborah Erskine, met a number of the farmers who are affected by the scheme and who will perhaps be affected by further announcements about other parts of it. I fully accept that their concerns are genuine and come from a good place. As the Member said, those farmlands have been in families for generations. I have said before in the Chamber that I come from a rural background; I understand the bond between the farming community and its land. Those genuine concerns have been expressed in a respectful manner. I will carry out all my statutory duties, which include engaging with LPS. I have committed to working with Minister Muir where there are planning issues. I suspect that most of the planning issues to which the Member refers will be in planning applications that have been submitted to councils, but I assure him that, in line with my statutory duties, I will work with any Minister or anyone else to ensure that the farmers who are affected by the scheme are treated properly and that, where there are planning issues on which I have powers to assist, I will do so.

Preliminary works will start early next year. Some works on the ground are already going on, such as archaeological surveys and geotechnical inspections of land. As for work that people will notice, some preparatory work, such as the fencing off of land, will start early next year. The main construction works will most likely start in mid-2025.

The estimated cost at this stage is around £1·2 billion. There is still engagement going on between my Department and contractors, and I am mindful that I have to be protective of the public purse. My main driver is to ensure that, when they engage with contractors, my officials are aware of the need to be protective of the public purse and to get value for money.

I do not have the figures in front of me, but we will supply the Member with whatever figures are available to us.

It is clear that, when you provide proper road networks or any form of transport network to a community, the economic benefit is significant. Simply being able to move goods and people in a quicker, safer, more efficient manner shows that it benefits the economy.

I welcome the Member to the Assembly and wish her well during her time here. As I said, there has already been some engagement. There was engagement over a number of years with affected farmers. Last Wednesday's statement was definitive, so now the farmers who are directly affected will be aware of it. My officials will engage with them, and information sessions will be held. We will let them know, if they have further questions or queries, whom to contact and how to contact them. It is difficult to say that no one will be negatively impacted: if a farmer is losing some of their land, they are negatively impacted. I accept that financial compensation does not fully resolve the matter for someone whose land has been taken, but financial compensation is a matter for LPS. I assure you that I will do everything within my statutory powers to ensure that the rural and farming community is treated fairly.

3,273 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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