A5 assessment demand

Victor Christie of Friends of the Earth says the proposed route of the A5 Western Transport Corridor between Londonderry and Aughnacloy infringes an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) that runs along the East Bank of the River Foyle between Strabane and Newbuildings.

Mr Christie lives in the immediate vicinity of the preferred route but says his principal concern is environmental.

The River Foyle and Tributaries ASSI - declared by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency's (NIEA) predecessor the Environmental Heritage Service (EHS) in 2003 to be of the highest conservation value - is adjacent to the proposed new road.

The EHS designated the area of special value in response to an EU Habitats Directive of 1992 that requires member states to designate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for various habitats and species considered to be most in need of conservation at a European level

Mr Christie says the Department of Environment (DoE) should now carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the road.

But the DoE say Mouchel - the consultants charged with progressing the A5 by Roads Service - are carrying out the EIA.

The Newbuildings based campaigner claims it is illegal under European Environmental Law to construct a motorway within two kilometres of an ASSI.

But a spokesperson for the DoE stated: “DoE is not aware of any European Environmental Law which makes it ‘illegal’ to construct within two kilometres of an ASSI or European site.”

The spokesperson also rejected Mr Christies call for the DoE to undertake an EIA as this was being carried out by Mouchel.

“The consultants for Road Service are currently undertaking an EIA for this proposal and they have indicated that it will be completed by this autumn (2010),” he stated.

Mr Christie says he is not satisfied with DRD Roads Service and Mouchel overseeing the EIA because they have a “vested interest” in seeing the road completed.

He further argues that the environmental issues he raises fall into Mr Poots’ portfolio as there is an ASSI and Special Area of Conservation in the vicinity of this proposed A5 route as well as a substantial flood plain of approximately 1000 hectares.

Furthermore Mr Christie suggested the road be taken into Donegal at Lifford and connected to Londonderry via Bridgend.

“What is wrong with other possibilities such as - taking the dual carriage way into Donegal via a proposed bypass south of Lifford then going north towards Manorcunningham, and along the current route that feeds into Bridgend, where several major road connections already exist eg to Letterkenny/Inishowen/ west bank of the City where 80 per cent of the population lives - as well as to the New Foyle Bridge?” he asked.

“All of these connections are already in place as opposed to Newbuildings which has only one connection which ends at the traffic lights at Craigavon Bridge thus causing serious congestion around the entire waterside area as well as Newbuildings,” he stated.

“Would it not also mean that the traffic from the places in the west of the city - such as Shantallow - could be at the proposed new bridge over the Mourne south of Lifford within 20 mins - thereby easing traffic congestion in the city and shortening journey times to the new Mourne bridge at Lifford by as much as - 25 minutes,” he proposed.

He said this would protect the substantial floodplain between Strabane and Bready - which he said was currently under threat - and prevent what he believes will amount to a breach of European Environmental Law if the River Foyle ASSI is infringed.