A5 ruling: Main unionist parties give their reaction after court halts dual carriageway scheme
The DUP MLA Deborah Erskine has said that the Climate Change Act “will have to be looked at as a matter of priority” if it is proving to be an obstacle to development.
The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA, who is chairwoman of Stormont’s infrastructure committee, was reacting to the judgement in Belfast’s High Court today which nullified the decision to proceed with the upgrade of the A5.
The UUP and TUV have reacted to the news, too.
The A5 runs from the Co Tyrone border village of Aughnacloy in the south to Londonderry city in the north, via the Ballygawley Roundabout, Omagh, and Strabane.
It is an accident blackspot, and plans have been in motion since 2007 to essentially replace the road with a dual carriageway.
Today’s judgement is the third time that the High Court has halted the project.
On this occasion, one of the judge’s central points was that the scheme is “non-compliant with the duty imposed by” the Climate Change Act 2022, which committed the government to hitting targets to reduce CO2 emissions.
Mrs Erskine said: “Today’s ruling will come as a deep disappointment to many campaigners who have long supported the A5 scheme – particularly the families who have tragically lost loved ones on this road.
“I have consistently backed the need for this vital infrastructure project, but it must be recognised that the handling of the scheme from the outset has been deeply flawed by Department for Infrastructure (DfI).
“What is most concerning now is the uncertainty this judgment creates – not just for grieving families and road safety campaigners, but also for local farmers, landowners and the wider community who have waited far too long for answers.
"For example, will the department now rescind vesting orders? People are asking the question what happens next?
“We will study the ruling in detail, including the judge’s comments around the role of climate change targets in the decision.
"This raises serious and potentially far-reaching implications for future infrastructure investment across Northern Ireland and if climate change legislation is an obstacle for delivering major infrastructure schemes then this will have to be looked at as a matter of priority.
“There must now be urgent clarity from the department – both on the future of the A5 and on how it intends to strike the right balance between environmental responsibilities and the pressing need for safe, modern infrastructure.”
UUP MLA Diana Armstrong, also representing Fermanagh and South Tyrone, said: “Today’s High Court ruling on the A5 Western Transport Corridor is a landmark judgment that will provoke mixed reactions across the length and breadth of Tyrone.
“Locally the party has long raised concerns about whether the approximately £1.6bn A5 project could meet the requirements of Northern Ireland’s climate legislation.
“The DfI must now explain why it failed to meet its obligations under this legislation. There are also wider questions for those MLAs who championed both the A5 and the Climate Change Act, seemingly believing that both could proceed without conflict.
“I recognise the deep frustration this will cause for many communities who have waited years for safer and more modern road infrastructure. But legal obligations cannot be ignored.
"This judgment must now be a turning point in how we plan, assess, and deliver infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
“I along with my party, respect today’s judgment and will now analyse its implications in greater detail to determine what happens next.
"This ruling also raises serious questions about the future of vested land and the ongoing preparatory works already underway. Communities and landowners deserve clarity on what this means for them.”
The SDLP and Sinn Fein have also voiced disappointment at today’s court ruling.
The leader of the TUV, Jim Allister MP, told the News Letter: “My message to those politicians who will be disappointed by this decision is they should have thought twice before they foolishly voted for the Climate Change Act.
"The very people who are shouting the loudest about the A5 were amongst the MLAs and politicians who were most enthusiastic in forcing through the Climate Change Act. Now it’s come back to bite them.
"I think it raises fundamental questions, and what it really points up is the absolute folly of the statutory provisions in the Climate Change Act. It’s tied the government’s hands behind its back on this one – and the same principle will apply to others.”