A5 dualling Newbuildings (Londonderry) to North of Strabane

This page is specifically to follow the construction of the A5 from Londonderry (Newbuildings) to Strabane. A separate page is dedicated to following the entire A5 scheme through the planning and funding process.

This scheme is part of the ambitious plan to upgrade the entire 88km A5 to high quality dual-carriageway standard from Newbuildings (just south of Derry) to Aughnacloy. See here for details and history. In February 2012, in a climate of reduced finance, it was decided to break the scheme into a number of phases and build them over a period of years. This scheme represents about 2/3 of what was originally "Section 1", ie the section from Newbuildings to the south side of Strabane. It will follow the same design as "Section 1", except that it will omit the 7.3km Strabane Bypass stretch, ie it will stop north of Strabane.

9 Oct 2024: I am now retiring this page, as it is no longer relevant - DFI have now removed this element of the project from the schedule, and replaced it with a new plan to build the stretfch from Newbuildings to SOUTH of Strabane later on this decade, perhaps commencing in 2028.

21 Feb 2024: I am bringing this page back out of hibernation after six years after yesterday's news that the scheme now has sufficient funding to begin - bar any further delays - later this year. If you want the details on the A5 scheme generally, see the general A5 page. This part of the project is scheduled to be the first to be built. It is entirely offline so should not impact much on traffic during the construction period, which will probably last about three years. It is also relatively simple as there are no junctions between the roundabout south of Newbuildings and the temporary terminus north of Strabane. It will simply be 13 km of new dual carriageway, plus another 1.3 km of single carriageway to bypass Newbuildings itself.

24 May 2018: This page exists specifically (perhaps optimistically!) to follow the construction of the A5 from Londonderry (Newbuildings) to Strabane. A separate and much fuller page is dedicated to following the entire A5 scheme through the planning and funding process. This is just to note that construction has once again been held up by a legal challenge and, as discussed in more detail on the main A5 page, it now seems that 2019 is the earliest possible start date for this stretch. That would see completion around 2021/22. Until work begins, this page will remain dormant.

11 Apr 2016: This page exists specifically to follow the construction of the A5 from Londonderry (Newbuildings) to Strabane. A separate and much fuller page is dedicated to following the entire A5 scheme through the planning and funding process. Subject to the public inquiry that is due to take place this autumn, work on this stretch of the A5 is due to get underway during 2017, ie within the next two years. The DRD have now revealed their updated plan for the stretch (go to this page, and clicking on the + sign beside "Brochures" at the bottom and click the Brochure for Section 1). It shows a number of minor changes over the 2012 design, but a slightly more significant change to the design of Junction 3, the one north of Strabane. It's simpler to just show you (below), but you can see a third new roundabout has been added, plus other realignments. North is to the left, Stabane is to the right.

Secondly, Junction 3 is also going to be the temporary terminus of this stretch, with the extension past Strabane following later. I have been wondering exactly how the junction will look during the period when it is a temporary terminus, and TransportNI have now ended the suspense and revealed how it will look:

DRD map showing how A5 junction 3 (Strabane North) will look upon completion of the Newbuildings to North of Strabane stretch, but before construction of the next stretch south past Strabane. [DRD]

So they are basically going to build the two north-facing sliproads, the bridge and even a section of the future A5, but divert all traffic up the sliproads for the few years until the rest of the A5 is built. This is the most cost-efficient way to do it, as it minimises future junction restructuring, but is also uncomfortably reminiscent of this junction on the M2 Ballymena Bypass which was a "temporary" terminus from 1969 until 2010. Let's hope the same thing doesn't happen to this junction in Strabane! On the other hand, what would we road enthusiasts talk about if it were not for oddities such as temporary terminii?? So hurrah for a new temporary terminus!

18 Nov 2015: To clarify, this page exists specifically to follow the construction of the A5 from Londonderry (Newbuildings) to Strabane. A separate and much fuller page is dedicated to following the entire A5 scheme through the planning and funding process. It has been over three years since the last update, because a legal challenge meant that commencement did not take place as anticipated in September 2012. We are now part way through a new planning process, and the public inquiry will probably take place early in 2016. The same contractor, however, remains in place and can start very quickly following the (hopefully successful) outcome of the public inquiry. The reason for this update is to note that funding now appears to be in place in the form of £75m from the Irish government, and a very strong commitment from the Executive to provide the additional estimated £95m to get this stretch underway. So I'm now as certain as it's possible to be in the world of politics that construction on this stretch will get underway sometime in 2017.

31 Jul 2012: Today the scheme was approved by the DRD Minister, having passed the Public Inquiry. Work is now due to begin "in the Autumn", probably September or October, so we are probably within 3 months of commencement. There is still no information about how the south (Strabane) end of this scheme will end, ie what we call "Junction 3" in the strip map above. This will hopefully be revealed in due course, as a decision must have either been taken already, or will have to be taken soon.

15 Feb 2012: This scheme came into existence yesterday, following a major funding announcement. The Public Inquiry process is not yet concluded, but the Minister estimates that work could begin in September or October 2012 if it passes this hurdle. Construction is likely to take between 2 and 3 years. The total cost of £170m is an estimate, and may change as the scheme proceeds.