The A26 is the principal route north from Antrim to Coleraine, passing Ballymena and Ballymoney on the way. It is very busy, particularly at peak times and in the summer when holidaymakers go to the north coast. If the original motorway plans of the 1960s had taken place, this traffic would all be carried by the M2. However, the M2 was never completed and so the A26 carries the burden. The dualling of the section from Antrim to Ballymena was completed between 1989 and 2001. The section north of Ballymena, which according to Roads Service carries 18,000 vehicles per day, has been dualled as far as Glarryford (about 7km). This scheme will see the next 7km dualled as far as the A44 Drones Road junction where all the traffic for Ballycastle diverts.

Planners have been quick to point out that traffic levels on the A26 currently do not justify a dual-carriageway on this route. Therefore, the scheme was originally earmarked for implementation towards the end of "the Regional Strategic Transport Plan period", which means close to 2015 when traffic levels are expected to have risen on this route. However, according to this Parliamentary Written Answer from November 2006, the scheme is now expected to begin earlier than this, in 2010. Arup were commissioned in April 2006 to develop the project. According to Roads Service the primary reasons for progressing the scheme are traffic congestion and road safety.

Routes

At the time of writing (Sep 2007) Roads Service are still considering five route options with a final decision due in early to mid 2008. The five routes are:

1. The Orange Route involves largely widening 60% of the existing road with an offline route on the northern end to the west of the current road.
2. The Green Route is to widen 80% of the existing road with 20% of the northern end offline to the west.
3. The Blue Route is to widen the existing road in its entirity.
4. The Red Route is an almost entirely new alignment to the east of the current road.
5. The Yellow Route is only entirely offline east of the current road at the south end and to the west at the north end.

PDF files containing maps of these options are available from Roads Service. Click here for a map of routes 1 and 2, and here for a map of routes 3, 4 and 5.

This stretch of road includes the famous "Frosses Trees" section near Clogh Mills where beautiful mature trees were been planted down each side in 1839 creating a tunnel effect (see photo below). Many local children try to hold their breath as they travel the full length of the trees! Although a number of trees have been felled recently due to their age, the public would not tolerate any attempt to remove this feature.

A site visitor who spoke off the record to a Roads Service person in 2006 reported that it was said that the preferred option was a new route about 1km west of the existing road so as to pass to the west of the bog. It would swing away at Glarryford, cross Kilagan Road on a bridge and re-join the route at Dunloy Cross just north of the A44 junction. However, once the five final route options were publicised in 2007 it became clear that this was no longer being considered.

Updates

24 Apr 2008: According to an Assembly written answer, the Department of Regional Development expects to announce the preferred route "around mid 2008". The process to decide between the five route options is still ongoing.

July 2006: The cost of £22.9m publicised in 2005 had increased to £33m by the time this public consultation was released in July 2006.

Photos

The beautiful section of the A26 Frosses Road near Clogh Mills where trees are lined close along each side. Taken looking north in late August 2006. There is no way that the dualling scheme should be allowed to destroy this lovely feature of the A26. [Photo by Aubrey Dale]