No start date for bypass imminent

1 November 2023

THE suspension of work on Ballynahinch’s £45m bypass could be in place for some considerable time.

In August, roads officials were forced to halt work on the shovel ready scheme linking the Newcastle and Saintfield roads — along with a number of other major road building projects across the province — due to budgetary pressure.

The controversial decision to suspend work on the biggest ever road scheme proposed for the district is also being blamed on delivering new climate change targets which roads officials say have “changed the landscape considerably” for road improvements.

Three years ago, the Department for Infrastructure announced that the near two mile bypass may be completed by the spring of 2024 at the earliest, but in March last year a further delay was announced on the grounds that there was no agreed budget in the absence of the Stormont Executive.

While roads officials remain committed to delivering the bypass, there isn’t the money to progress it.

In addition, other flagship road schemes have been given a higher priority by the Northern Ireland Executive.

During a special briefing with Newry, Mourne and Down councillors on Monday night, senior roads officials confirmed the so-called direction order for the multi-million pound scheme was issued in July 2021 with all statutory processes now largely complete.

However, the crucially important vesting order for the scheme cannot be made until funding has been secured to deliver the project.

Councillors were told development work on the bypass has been substantially concluded, including preparation of a draft business case, but the absence of money has resulted in any further work being paused.

While other major road schemes across the province will continue to be progressed, the Ballynahinch bypass will remain stalled, councillors were informed.

Department for Infrastructure deputy secretary Colin Woods told councillors that roads officials are having to manage a number of challenges.

He said the £792m funding for capital projects was £146m short of what was needed, with such a major shortfall constraining the ability to find ways to progress work.

“The decision to prioritise our major road schemes was driven largely by that budget shortfall and the lack of multi-year budgets that allow us to plan with more confidence into the future, “ Mr Woods continued.

He said the list of published road schemes which are to progress, which does not include the Ballynahinch bypass, are those which the NI Executive has already agreed to prioritise.

“This starts with its flagship schemes and then moves down through the Belfast City Regional Deal schemes. We expect the Mid South West Deal to be signed next and there isn’t any more money

for major projects after that,” Mr Woods continued.

“But it’s absolutely not the case that we don’t see the value that other schemes, including the Ballynahinch bypass, would bring in terms of the quality of life, air quality and all sorts of good reasons.”

Mr Woods said the business case for the Ballynahinch scheme and why it would be valuable to proceed with has been completed.

“We have largely completed the scheme’s preparatory work. The only thing to do now is when you actually have a credible funding plan to take it through the final stages of the process,” he explained.

“If we were to do more work and start that and hope that the money arrived and then find that it does not, you would have essentially wasted time and public money on work that will have to be repeated when you come to actually deliver the scheme in subsequent years.”

Rowallane councillor Terry Andrews said Ballynahinch town centre was being “strangled” with traffic, with heavy volumes on all approach roads.

“The bypass is shovel ready and while I appreciate the funding difficulties, this is a much-needed scheme which needs to be delivered. Ballynahinch is the gateway to the Mournes and we need to see progress on this eagerly-anticipated scheme,” he said.

“Yes there are budgetary constraints, but we need to see what we can do to deliver this scheme.”

Designed to alleviate chronic town centre congestion in Ballynahinch and along the main approach roads to the town, reduce journey times and improve road safety, major new roundabouts are proposed at the Belfast Road junction with the Saintfield Road and at the Newcastle Road junction with the Downpatrick Road, with a new bridge constructed over the Moss Road.

The proposed new road will pass under part of the Crossgar Road with a 90 metre long bridge constructed to take traffic over Ballynahinch River, with overtaking lanes stretching almost 900 metres proposed at either of the by-pass where the major new roundabouts are to be constructed.

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