A5 and A8 consume two-thirds of £1.2b four year budget

Roads Minister Danny Kennedy told the Assembly last week he would wait until he received an independent inspector’s report and recommendation on the Londonderry to Aughnacloy A5 upgrade, which will be available following a current public inquiry, before examining planned expenditure across the province.

He said: “As we enter this new term in office, I recognise that we are all faced with the challenges that a reduction of two fifths in the Executive’s overall capital funding brings.

“I believe that that is especially so for my Department in relation to infrastructure investment. Initial impressions may suggest to you that Roads Service has

received a significant capital allocation, with just under £1.2 billion allocated to capital spend over the four-year Budget 2010 period.

“However, two thirds of that, almost £800 million, as Members have indicated, is at present allocated to two major road schemes, namely the A5 Londonderry to Aughnacloy road and the A8 Belfast to Larne dual carriageway.

“Members will be aware that the public inquiry into the A5 proposals is in progress. On receipt of the independent inspector’s report and recommendations, I propose to examine planned expenditure on the A5 and the A8, together with a range of other projects across the strategic roads programme.”