Public meeting to discuss A1 plans

The event will be held in the Old Town Hall in Banbridge on November 19.

Roads Service is developing plans for further improvements to the A1 from Sprucefield to the border road. In recent years the southern section of the route, from Loughbrickland to the border, has been upgraded to full dual carriageway standard and a number of new flyover-type junctions have been provided at strategic locations between Hillsborough and Loughbrickland. Roads Service is developing plans for further improvements in response to safety concerns about right turning manoeuvres through numerous gaps in the central median, the absence of a central safety barrier and the frequency of minor road junctions on the northern section of the A1 dual carriageway. Roads Service’s plans include further improvements, closing up all openings in the central median between Hillsborough roundabout and Loughbrickland, installing a continuous central safety barrier and closing some minor road junctions along this stretch of the route. Flyover tyoe junctions are proposed at Listullycurran Road/Backnamullagh Road south of Hillsborough; Gowdystown Road, south of Dromore; Skeltons Road/Drumneath Road, between Dromore and Banbridge; Waringsford Road, north of Banbridge. A new north-bound slip road from Castlewellan Road onto the A1 Banbridge bypass is also proposed. Closing up all openings in the central median on the A1 between Hillsborough roundabout and Loughbrickland will result in increased journey lengths for some. However, the proposed junction improvements, together with the flyovers already provided will limit the increase in journey lengths to approximately 5km. Vehicle movements at remaining junctions will be restricted to a left turn from the minor road onto the dual carriageway and a left turn off the dual carriageway onto the minor road.

The public information event has been arrange to inform members of the public and their elected representatives of these proposals for the A1 dual carriageway. A spokesperson for Roads Service said: “This provides the scheme development team with an opportunity to describe the scheme. It is also an opportunity for members of the public to express their views on Roads Service’s plans. The event will be held on November 19 from 11.30am until 8.30pm.