Minister ‘keen’ to get bypass work moving

Minister ‘keen’ to get bypass work moving

19 March 2025

STORMONT Roads Minister Liz Kimmins said she’s keen to see work starting on Ballynahinch’s new £50m bypass.

She was in the market town last week to formally announce that work on the near two mile bypass linking the Belfast and Newcastle roads could start in three years’ time and officially open in 2030 — more than 70 years after it was first proposed.

News that the bypass is edging ever closer — exclusively revealed in last week’s Recorder — has been welcomed by campaigners and politicians who believe the scheme has the potential to kick-start the economic regeneration of Downpatrick town centre.

While some traders remain unsure of what the benefits or drawbacks will be until the road is built, they are agreed that the congestion issue has to be tackled.

Ms Kimmins said the Department for Infrastructure is keen to get moving on the new bypass as quickly as possible.

“We are now at a stage where we can get this thing moving and get it delivered,” she said.

“Like all major projects we have to work through the through various processes. This scheme is a priority for me and we have given a commitment to see its delivery,” she said.

“I am delighted to announce that the long awaited Ballynahinch scheme is to progress and this is a further positive step forward. This important project will help to significantly alleviate traffic congestion in the centre of Ballynahinch.”

Ms Kimmins said roads officials will now commence work to review and update the necessary documents to bring the bypass scheme to construction, including finalising the business case. She said this process is likely to take in the region of two years.

When completed, the roads minister said the scheme “will deliver for communities and road users for generations to come.”

She continued: “This important project will help to significantly alleviate traffic congestion in the centre of Ballynahinch, improving journey time reliability, road safety and air quality on the busy Belfast to Newcastle Road.  

“As part of my commitment to increase opportunities for active and sustainable travel I am also pleased that the scheme will include the provision of a new footway, cycleway and a park and share facility. 

“This will all serve to enhance the town centre environment and provide a more positive experience for locals and visitors alike.”

Ms Kimmins said that for the local community, businesses and commuters through the area, the bypass announcement will be a welcome development. 

“Major projects take years to develop and complete the necessary statutory orders, so we do need to prioritise the development and delivery of our schemes accordingly,” she explained.

“On that basis and having already committed to take the A1 Junctions Phase 2 project to construction I can confirm that, in order to minimise the budget impact on future years, the Ballynahinch bypass will be managed sequentially to the A1 Junctions project. When completed, these strategic road improvement schemes will deliver for communities and road users for generations to come.”

She said the DfI will now commence work to review and update the necessary documents to bring the Ballynahinch scheme to procurement, including finalising the business case. 

“This process is likely to take in the region of two years, with a procurement start planned in 2027/28 and work could commence in 2028/29 and take two years to complete,” Ms Kimmins outlined.

“Delivery of the scheme will be dependent on the successful completion of the statutory processes and the future availability of finance.”

Ms Kimmins said while the DfI has to go through formal statutory procedures, it has given a firm commitment that it will now deliver the project.

“The bypass has been long-awaited in this area and it will be transformational an my officials working really hard to deliver this project,” the minister, revealing she is aware of that there have been several pedestrians killed in the town centre as a result of accidents.

She said she was thinking of the man who lost his life in April last year, explaining that road safety is a critical element of the decision making process for any major road safety scheme.

“We are keen to get moving on this as quickly as possible,” insisted Ms Kimmins.

“One of the things i get a lot of feedback on is the state of our roads and since coming into office and following on from my predecessor John O’Dowd, I have continued to make the improvement of our road network a priority.

“Major road improvement schemes play a key role in the delivery of this vision and I have been keen to revisit their prioritisation to derive maximum benefit from our budget enabling decisions to be made now.”

She continued: “This is a great day for Ballynahinch. 

“This is a long awaited project and one local people and my colleagues in this area have been campaigning for for a long time and I’m really delighted to be here to make this announcement. Hopefully it will offer confidence to the local community that this scheme will be delivered and it will be transformational for the area.”

Ms Kimmins said a lot of work has been done on the scheme to get it to its current stage and said she would not be making this announcement if she wasn’t confident about it progressing.

“I’m keen that we do deliver for the people of Ballynahinch first and foremost. This is a long-awaited scheme and is badly needed,” she continued.

She also agreed that the bypass comes with benefits for the wider South Down area.

“It’s important to recognise that this scheme will transform the whole area and hopefully not just improve the congestion in the town centre, but make it easier for people to get in and out and access shops and restaurants and also improve the environment and encourage more people to be out walking and cycling as well,” Ms Kimmins added.