Farmers and landowners fully behind new A5 - union

An update to the A5 was signed off by the Stormont Executive earlier this month

A large number of landowners along the A5 have said they now "fully accept" the need for a new road, according to the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU).

The long-awaited road upgrade project - including a full dual carriageway - was finally signed off by Stormont earlier this month.

It had faced opposition, legal challenges and funding issues since it was first announced in 2007.

It will require the compulsory purchase of land to construct the road, and the UFU said it was vital those affected were treated fairly.

The union, which is the largest of its kind in Northern Ireland, hosted a meeting last week which was attended by more than 150 farmers, landowners and local politicians.

They said they were not out to delay the road and what they wanted was a "commitment that farming families whose businesses will be affected are treated properly and in a timely way".

UFU deputy president John McLenaghan said: “This is about fair treatment and the protection of rights. We are not out to delay the road. We recognise it is vital to tackle its road safety record."

He said the UFU would work on behalf of all landowners to ensure rights were upheld and people were fairly compensated.

UFU is the largest union representing farmers in Northern Ireland, however there is a smaller group of farmers who have consistently voiced their opposition to the new A5 dual carriageway.

The Alternative A5 Alliance (AA5A) group have successful brought a number of legal challenges in recent years that have led to the upgrade being put on hold.

In a statement, the AA5A said the statement from the UFU "does not reflect the group’s views".

Niall McKenna, chair of the campaign group Enough Is Enough, said they had always been "extremely cognisant" of the concerns of the farming community.

"We fully expect those affected to be properly compensated and any other concerns addressed," he said.

"We urge all the relevant stakeholders to advance the project as swiftly as possible for the betterment of all and the prevention of further lives being lost."

Campaigners have lobbied for the new road for some time and have pointed to the fact 54 lives have been lost on the A5 since 2007.

What is the A5?

The A5 is a vital artery of the Northern Ireland road network, with more than 200 side roads connected to it.

The road is a single carriageway for most of its length, with overtaking lanes in some sections.

It links Londonderry with Aughnacloy in County Tyrone and passes through towns like Sion Mills, Omagh and Strabane.

It is also the main north-south route in the west of Northern Ireland, linking County Donegal and Dublin via the N2 in County Monaghan.

It also connects with the A4 road, linking to Belfast via the M1.

The total cost of the road upgrade will be about £1.2bn, with €600m (£500m) coming from the Irish government.

The Department for Instructure has confirmed that the first phase of the project from Strabane to Ballygawley is to be built in early 2025.