“Robust efforts” should be made to prevent money earmarked for the A5 upgrade going back to the Treasury, Derry MLA Pat Ramsey said.
Dungiven Main Street.R
Mr Ramsey said money set aside for the scheme should be re-directed to local infrastructure projects such as the A6 Derry to Belfast road and the Dungiven bypass.
Speaking during the Budget debate in the Assembly today, the SDLP representative said the A5 project remained a “major priority” for his party and should remain so for the Minister and the Assembly.
He added: “The A5 project is more than just a road which gets people from ‘A to B’ faster and safer.
“It is a crucial element of a hub which will address economic and social deprivation as well as traffic issues.
“It is an important part of a cross-border project designed to address the negative elements of partition and it must remain so.
“However if it transpires money set aside for the A5 project is in danger of going back to the Treasury then we believe it should be spent on the A6 which is of direct benefit to the North West.”
Mr Ramsey said he “particularly” wanted to see the Dungiven bypass go ahead, even it meant even if it mean “decoupling” the bypass from the rest of the project because there was a “serious health risk” to local residents caused by high levels of traffic pollution.
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