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Newry and Armagh MLA Cathal Boylan has welcomed progress announced last week by the Minister for Infrastructure on the development of the Newry Southern Relief Road scheme. The scheme plans to build a road linking the A1/N1 Belfast to Dublin corridor and the A2 Warrenpoint Road to facilitate traffic from Warrenpoint Port bypassing Newry City Centre.
A fixed bridge over Newry Ship Canal as part of the scheme will mean tall ships and yachts will no longer be able to get to Newry despite the Narrow Water Bridge being built as an opening bridge a few miles away specifically to allow ships to get to Newry!
The Sinn Féin transport spokesperson welcomed the news that the draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Statutory Orders for the Newry Southern Relief Road scheme would be published this month.
Mr Boylan said “This road, once completed, will be a major investment and will provide a strategic link between the A1/N1 Belfast to Dublin corridor and the A2 Warrenpoint Road, bypassing Newry city centre and thereby reducing the levels of congestion in Newry City Centre and improving road safety.
“The scheme will also provide significant opportunities for the enhancement and reshaping of Newry city centre to promote sustainable travel choices."
The MLA added "Minister O'Dowd has also announced that a consultation event will be held at Newry Leisure Centre, Cecil Street, Newry, on Tuesday 21 January 2025, where departmental staff and the engineering consultants will provide detail on work to date and the next steps in progressing the scheme.
“The formal consultation will then take place for a period of six weeks and I would encourage people to engage with this process."
