A5: Work should begin on road project – O’Dowd

Before the minister can allow work to begin, he needs approval from the wider Stormont Executive as the matter is significant.

He made his comments about the project to pupils from St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley, County Tyrone, on Thursday, who were meeting the minister to press for the work to commence.

They presented 54 crosses to the minister, each representing those who have lost their lives on the road since 2007.

One of them was for Kamile Vaicikonyte, a year 13 pupil, who died in a crash on the A5 earlier this year.

O’Dowd told the pupils that all his preparatory work was done and that his paper recommending the project begin work was now with the executive.

“I’d hoped the paper would be before the executive today (Thursday) – there is a significant amount of detail and it might take slightly more time, but I do expect a decision to be made in the very near future,” he told them.

He said his recommendation was based on improving road safety for all those who travel along the route.