Council on hunt for cash to fund by-pass project

Council on hunt for cash to fund by-pass project

4 September 2013

DOWN councillors are seeking a meeting with Stormont Finance Minister Simon Hamilton in a bid to secure the money needed to fund Ballynahinch’s proposed new by-pass.

Councillors say they are frustrated that no money has been earmarked for a project to alleviate town centre traffic congestion which was first suggested almost 40 years ago.

The decision to seek a meeting with Mr. Hamilton was agreed after politicians were provided with an update on the multi-million scheme last week during a briefing session with the district’s most senior roads official, Kevin Monaghan.

The Roads Service’s Divisional Manager explained surveys are currently being carried out with this information fed into an environmental statement to be published in 12 months’ time.

Mr. Monaghan said it is the Roads Service intention to publish the scheme’s statutory rules next year and then to begin looking for funding.

The roads official said he’s aware that a number of local politicians met recently with Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy to discuss the by-pass. Mr. Monaghan said he “fully understood” the frustration of councillors around progress delivering the scheme.

Ballynahinch councillor, Walter Lyons, asked if the Roads Service really understood the frustration of people and business owners in the town over the lack of progress in delivering the proposed by-pass.

He continued: “For over 40 years the traffic congestion has prevented Ballynahinch from growing, but I do not lay the blame for the lack of progress at the door of the Roads Service. I believe the Stormont administration is culpable.

“I believe money from the aborted A5 scheme in the north west of the Province could be directed towards helping deliver the Ballynahinch by-pass.”

Councillor Lyons said in addition to meeting with Mr. Hamilton, local councillors should be lobbying their respective MLAs at Stormont to press the case for delivering the Ballynahinch by-pass.

Councillor Anne McAleenan said politicians need to be provided with a detailed schedule of the different aspects of the by-pass scheme and when it is expected they will be completed.