Ballynahinch by-pass now confirmed... once funding is available

Ballynahinch by-pass now confirmed... once funding is available

14 December 2016

BALLYNAHINCH’S proposed new by-pass has finally been given the green light to proceed — once the money is available.

In a pre-Christmas boost, Stormont Minister Chris Hazzard said he was accepting the recommendations of the public inquiry into the scheme and ordered that it be prepared to the shovel ready stage.

Mr Hazzard’s decision means that once funding is available work on the project will automatically begin.

Mr Hazzard has confirmed the cost of the project designed to alleviate chronic town centre congestion which includes major new roundabouts at the Belfast Road junction with the Saintfield Road and at the Newcastle Road junction with the Downpatrick Road will be £35m — £15m less than had been estimated.

Public scrutiny into plans for the multi-million pound scheme took place during a two-day inquiry held at the start of the year when it was suggested the by-pass could take around 18 months to construct.

The independent inspector who listened to the evidence presented during the hearing reported his findings to the Department of Infrastructure in March and concluded the scheme should proceed. Since then, roads officials have been pouring over the issues he raised, and now Mr Hazzard has accepted the inspector’s various recommendations and confirming the scheme should progress.

Roads officials are currently moving to complete all the necessary statutory procedures so the scheme is ready to go when finance is available.

The Stormont minister’s decision ends decades of campaigning for a new by-pass which has been designed to not only address town centre gridlock and along the main approach roads, but help kick-start its economic regeneration.

“I am delighted to announce this key step in the development of the Ballynahinch by-pass which is seeking to address the traffic delays at this bottleneck along the A24 which are familiar to those who travel along this strategic route every day and to the Ballynahinch community,” said Mr Hazzard.

“Progressing a scheme of this scale represents significant investment for the area. The provision of the by-pass will improve journey time reliability and road safety for motorists, including freight transport.”

Mr Hazzard said he is personally familiar with the difficulties faced by strategic and local motorists travelling the A24 route and welcomes the positive outcome from the inquiry. 

He added: “Consultation will now begin with key stakeholders and in particular landowners affected by the scheme with a view to minimising the related impacts. My department will also now publish the formal environmental statement and its notice to proceed with the scheme and issue the formal direction order confirming the length and route of the by-pass.”

In addition to the major new roundabouts which form part of the major road scheme, a new bridge will be constructed over the Moss Road, with the by-pass passing under part of the Crossgar Road. A 90 metre long bridge will be built to take traffic over Ballynahinch River.

Overtaking lanes stretching almost 900 metres are proposed at either of the by-pass where the major new roundabouts are to be constructed, with the scheme also including a shared footpath and cycle lane. 

Roads officials say the multi-million pound scheme’s economic assessment demonstrates that it would provide a good economic return with its implementation greatly benefiting both strategic and local road users by reducing journey times, improving journey time reliability and safety on the A24 Belfast to Newcastle trunk road. 

Vesting orders to secure the land to allow the by-pass to proceed cannot be issued until money is secured to construct the scheme.