Having considered the Inspector's Report into the Public Inquiries on the A8 scheme, the Minister has tasked Roads Service to progress the project, taking into account the Inspector’s recommended amendments. The Inspector recommended that the proposed dual carriageway should be constructed in accordance with the preferred route, which bypasses Bruslee and Ballynure.
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Construction of the scheme, by the consortium Lagan, Ferrovial and Costain, will provide 14.4 kilometres of new dual carriageway from Coleman’s Corner Roundabout to Ballyrickard Road. Work on the dual carriageway is expected to start in June this year and take two and a half years to complete.
Commenting on the scheme, the Minister said: "I welcome the benefits to road users with the provision of a new all purpose dual carriageway. This will help reduce journey times, improve road safety along the A8, and help the development of the Port of Larne, which is the second largest Port in Northern Ireland.
"As part of the Trans European Network, the A8 is a strategically significant Euro route, which provides an important East-West link, between Northern Ireland and Scotland, via the Port of Larne."
(CD/GK)
