A5: Minister has power to upgrade dangerous road, says mum

A woman whose son and two friends were killed on the A5 road between Londonderry and Aughnacloy has called on the new infrastructure minister, John O'Dowd, to prioritise its upgrade.

"Ultimately it's about saving lives," said Kate Corrigan, whose son, Nathan, 20, died in a crash in December 2021.

The road is considered one of the most dangerous on the island of Ireland, claiming more than 50 lives since 2006.

But the upgrade has been hit by a series of delays and legal challenges.

The 53-mile scheme would be the largest road ever built in Northern Ireland, with an estimated cost of around £1.6 billion.

Kate Corrigan said Minister O'Dowd could make a real difference to people's lives by making sure that the project is finally completed after years of setbacks.

"I don't want my other son to go out travelling along the road and for me to have to go through this all over again or for any family to go through what we're going through," she told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today.

"Nothing could replace the loved ones that we have lost so we want to make it safer for the future so that their lives, their deaths are not forgotten.

"The power lies within John O'Dowd's hands now."

She has called on the minister to meet the A5 campaign group, of which she is a member to hear first-hand the "loss and pain" families like hers continue to endure.

Despite first being announced about 17 years ago, work on the A5 upgrade has not yet started.

A planning appeals public inquiry has been hearing the arguments for and against the proposals.

Mr O'Dowd has told the BBC that the A5 was a priority for him and that he had raised the issue of funding for it with Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar earlier this week.

The Irish Government has committed £75 million for the project once it is approved.

Mr O'Dowd said too many lives had been "cut short or forever changed" by serious injury as a result of crashes on the A5 and too many families were living with the "devastating consequences".

"I have met with grieving families and witnessed their heartache at first hand and am happy to meet again with representatives from the Enough is Enough campaign to assure them of my commitment to the scheme," he said.

The minister said contractors had been appointed and his officials were continuing to engage with them to ensure a readiness for construction subject to the completion of the public inquiry process and a decision to proceed with the scheme.

Chair of Stormont's public accounts committee, SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan, said the A5 upgrade must be completed before even more lives are lost.

"I don't believe there needs to be a case made as to whether it's affordable or not," he said.

"The truth is, we cannot afford to lost any more lives. We have been waiting for this for too long."