Alliance push for A1 safety Improvements

The MLA also questioned the Minister in the chamber about whether his department will seek shared island funding for the A1 upgrades.

The South Down representative is working alongside his colleague, Councillor Joy Ferguson from Banbridge, who has actively campaigned for the safety of the vital road.

The A1 serves as the primary link between Belfast and Newry, extending further across the border. However, the dual carriageway has been associated with numerous road traffic accidents, tragically resulting in the fatalities of drivers, passengers and cyclists.

Recognizing these dangers, the community formed the advocacy group, ‘A1: How Many Must Die’, in 2018, campaigning for enhanced safety provisions along the route.

Last week Patrick and Joy met with the founder of the campaign group, Monica Heaney who has spearheaded the campaign since the death of her son on the road.

Despite prior commitments from previous Ministers, tangible progress on Phase Two of the A1 junction upgrades has yet to materialize. The delays, compounded by the collapse of Stormont institutions, has hindered the advancement of necessary improvements.

Mr Brown said, “The A1 has posed safety concerns for a prolonged period and it is ridiculous that upgrades have been postponed for this long. I have made this a top priority heading into the Assembly and as the Alliance party Infrastructure spokesperson I intend to drive this issue forward. The A1 cannot face any more delays and I will continue to outline this to the Minister.”

Campaigner Monica Heaney said: “With the return of Ministers and decision making, I will be personally asking the Minister for Infrastructure to urgently fund phase 2 and deliver the resources and budget needed to complete safety improvements on this treacherous road. I want to save lives on the A1 and prevent other families from experiencing grief due to road collisions.

"Further delays are unacceptable. Safety on an existing major road should be top of the infrastructure agenda in Northern Ireland.’

Banbridge Councillor, Joy Ferguson added: “I would urge the Minister to allocate budget and respect the needs and wishes of the public and campaigners like Monica Heaney, who have fought tirelessly to see this much needed change.

"Even though the business case is at an advanced stage, budget remains the determining factor. It is the availability of funding that will finally progress this scheme with greater value for money achieved by allocating budget to one construction contract over three years, rather than smaller packages schemes.”