Council reaffirms stance on A26 with Public Inquiry set to open

At last Tuesday night’s Policy and Development meeting councillors voted in favour of reaffirming it’s support for the project and also to join with other councils along the route to make a submission to the inquiry and share the costs.

Chief Executive, Roger Wilson said: “The proposed project, between Glarryford and the A44 Drones Road Junction, consists of upgrading the existing single carriageway to create a new dual carriageway, which will closely follow the existing road corridor.

“Formal consultation on the scheme took place earlier this year and attracted 20 letters of objection and nine letters making comment on the scheme.

“The Department of Regional Development has decided to hold local public inquiries to consider the opinions expressed in relation to the above proposal. Ms Eileen Brady has been appointed by the Department as an inspector to hold the inquiries which will commence on 5th November in Ballymena.

“The notice, specifying the details of the inquiries has been published in the local press. A document containing the Department’s proposals is available.

“The Chief Executives of Councils on the A26 corridor have discussed the matter with a view to the Councils submitting a collective response to the Minister and the Public Inquiry.”

Alderman James McClure, who has been a long time advocate of the scheme, welcomed the news.

“I am pleased this is beginning to take shape, I hope it will go on now and we’ll get it dualled all the way to Coleraine,” said Ald McClure.

“I see no reason why this shouldn’t happen, in fact it should have been done years ago.”