A5 Western Transport Corridor

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is committed to support the A5 Western Transport Corridor and is asking residents to support the campaign to progress the development of this key transport route.

The A5 is a strategic transport route corridor through the Omagh area, providing vital connections up to the North West and down through the rest of the island via Aughnacloy.  The importance of this route is reflected in the traffic volumes using it on a daily basis, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. But busy should not mean dangerous – there have been 47 fatalities on the A5 since 2006.

The A5 Western Transport Corridor dual carriageway will enable residents, visitors and commuters to make their journeys efficiently, reduce congestion due to traffic tailbacks, reduce travel time and increase connectivity and investment.

Public Inquiry

The Public Inquiry into the A5 dual carriageway scheme in the Western Transport Corridor is scheduled to resume on Monday 15 May 2023 at 10.30 am in Strule Arts Centre, Omagh.  The Public Inquiry will be conducted by the Planning Appeals Commission following its appointment by the Department for Infrastructure in 2019.

Stages 1 and 2 of the Public Inquiry too place in February and March 2020, however, following a request for further work to be carried out to assess flood risks and alternatives to the proposed scheme, the Inquiry was adjourned.

Stage 3 of the Inquiry is scheduled to continue from Monday 15 May 2023 to Friday 19 May 2023 in Strule Arts Centre.  Following a one week break, the Inquiry will resume on Tuesday 30 May 2023 in Strule Arts Centre and then from Wednesday 31 May to Friday 02 June 2023 in Omagh Enterprise Centre.

A copy of the schedule is available to download below and is also available on our News Section.

For more information including various documents are available on the Planning Appeals Commission website.

Letters of Support

Download a copy of the letter of support to the Planning Appeals Commission and the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Infrastructure below to show your support.  The letter can be posted directly or posted in one of you collection boxes in The Grange, Connect Centre, Omagh Leisure Complex or Hospital Road, CKS and Strathroy Community Centres, Omagh or the Townhall, the Connect Centre or Fermanagh Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen.

A5 Enough Is Enough Campaign

You can also support the A5 Enough is Enough Campaign by signing their petition.

At the public meeting held by the A5 Enough is Enough Campaign on 11 May 2023, the following key issues were highlighted:

• A5 fatalities has now increased to 47 (since 2007) following the recent accident at Tullyvar, Aughnacloy;
• The petition now exceeds 10,000 signatures
• Communities and people who support the project should endeavour to attend the Public Inquiry every day;
• It is important to highlight the benefits of the A5 to counter the objections at the Public Inquiry;
• Environmental issues cannot be allowed to outweigh the loss of human life;
• The Planning process for strategic infrastructure projects needs to be reviewed; and
• Existing road needs to be upgraded while waiting for the new road to be delivered, however, those improvements can’t distract from the inherent danger of the A5 in its current form.