O’Dowd announces next steps in development of Newry Southern Relief Road Scheme
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd has outlined his commitment to the Newry Southern Relief Road scheme with confirmation that the draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Statutory Orders for the scheme will be published this month.
The Minister has also announced that a staffed Orders Exhibition Day will be held at Newry Leisure Centre, Cecil Street, Newry, on Tuesday 21 January 2025. The formal consultation will then take place for a period of six weeks where the information will be available to view online and at Newry Leisure Centre and various other locations.
Minister O’Dowd said:
“I am committed to the delivery of the Newry Southern Relief Road Scheme, and I am pleased to confirm that I have signed off on the publication of the draft Statutory Orders and the Environmental Impact Assessment Report for this significant scheme.
“The scheme will help to relieve traffic congestion within Newry City centre, reduce journey travel times for strategic traffic, improve road safety and enhance the city centre environment. The scheme will also provide significant opportunities for the enhancement and reshaping of Newry City centre to promote sustainable travel choices.
“To help keep the local community informed about progress with the scheme, my Department is holding a staffed Orders Exhibition Day at Newry Leisure Centre, Cecil Street, Newry, on Tuesday 21 January. This will provide an opportunity to engage with Departmental staff and the engineering consultants who can provide detail on work to date and the next steps in progressing the scheme.”
The timescales for progressing to procurement and construction will depend upon several factors including the need for a public inquiry. Delivery of the new road is estimated to be between £110m and £130m and will be dependent on the successful completion of the statutory processes and future budget availability.
The Newry Southern Relief Road is being developed to provide a strategic link between the A1/N1 Belfast to Dublin corridor and the A2 Warrenpoint Road, bypassing Newry City Centre. It is one of the three infrastructure projects being taken forward by the Department within the Belfast Region City Deal, which has allocated £93.4m to the project.
