The President of the Letterkenny Chamber has said today’s decision against the long-delayed A5 road project will stall regional development.
Jimmy Stafford was speaking after a Belfast court quashed a Stormont decision to approve the roads scheme upgrade.
The road, which runs through counties Derry and Tyrone and links Donegal and the northwest to Dublin, is considered one of the most dangerous roads in Ireland.
A long-awaited upgrade to the stretch of road between Derry and Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone was given the go-ahead by Stormont Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd last year. However, today a legal challenge by landowners was approved, putting the first phase of the 85km project into disarray after 18 years of planning.
In a statement, High Court Judge, Justice McAlinden says the Department for Infrastructure’s plans didn’t comply with climate change targets set down by Northern Ireland ministers at Stormont.
The Letterkenny Chamber said it is more than disappointed at the court’s decision, commenting that it will once again halt this long-standing plan to upgrade a vital transport corridor and address safety concerns.
“We are extremely disappointed by the court’s ruling,” said Jimmy Stafford, President of the Letterkenny Chamber “The A5 project is central to our regional development strategy. We know how important this road corridor is, it needs to happen to save lives, reduce travel times, and enhance the economic potential of the north-west region.”
