A6 plan will take two years - SDLPs Duncan

Mr Duncan said: “The fact remains that the improvement of the A6, which was heralded with much fanfare from the two largest parties, remains funded for only one year.

“It is a pre-election promise intended to mask the failure to deliver this project for almost a decade. Their spending commitments up to 2020 remain mere projections without any detail afforded as to where this money is coming from. It is estimated it will cost between £120m and £140m for complete this A6 project alone but only £100,000 has been identified to fund a total of seven flagship projects unveiled in the Budget.

“The two largest parties have proven themselves both incapable and incompetent in managing and improving our infrastructure. Their failure to improve the A6 up to now has stifled economic growth not only in South Antrim but also in the North West.

“In the run up to the 2011 Assembly elections, the public witnessed billboards from other parties that exclaimed that the funds for the A5 and the A6 had been secured. Five years on, we have the same tired stunt. The public will remain sceptical rather than grateful. It is time that government finally delivered on this promise. The SDLP will continue to press the Executive parties for more than just ‘confidence’ that this project will be delivered once and for all.”