A26 dualling depends on funding

A public inquiry was held in early November 2012 to examine the proposed scheme.

Once the inspector completes her report, the Minister for Regional Development will in due course issue a response in the form of a Departmental Statement, Councillors were told by Roads Service officials when they presented their annual report.

The inspector’s report will be published alongside the Departmental Statement.

The Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland 2011-2021 includes construction of a number of high priority schemes on the M2, A6 and A26, as part of a £390 million package funded through alternative finance in the period 2015/16 to 2020/21.

However, a commitment to fund the revenue consequences of this roads package will be required, therefore, the timing will depend upon future resource budget settlements. In the event of alternative finance not being available, the A26 Frosses Dualling could be included, together with other priority schemes, in the bidding process for conventional funds, in the next Budget period, the Roads service emphasised.

Local MLA, Meryn Storey, has been lobbying hard for the dualling on a stretch of roadway that has claimed a number of lives isn the last few years.

Visit http://www.roadsni.gov.uk/a26frosses to find out more about the scheme.