Enniskillen remains a bottleneck for long distance traffic on the Belfast <> Sligo route because all traffic must use the A4 Enniskillen Throughpass which was opened in 1986. While a big improvement over going through the town centre, this still involves going close to the heart of the busy town where strategic traffic has to mingle with local traffic and this delays both groups of users.

This scheme would see the main A4 route diverted to the south of the town. The road, as currently proposed, would be built to 2+1 standard (ie one lane each way plus an alternating overtaking lane). It was proposed in 2006 as part of an expansion of the programme of works for the period up to 2015, but has not at the time of writing (Oct 2007) been formally approved for construction.

In 2005, Fermanagh District Council issued a report making a number of claims about this road:

• "Up to 444 commercial cross-border journeys pass through Enniskillen on the average week day on their way to or from the ports of Belfast and Larne."
• "Time savings [of] 230,000-300,000 hours a year if a southern bypass was built."
• "Economic growth worth up to £2.5m a year could be prompted."

(source Belfast Telegraph, 1 April 2005)

It is worth noting that of all the 26 local councils in Northern Ireland, Fermanagh appears to be amongst the most vocal and active in campaigning for new road schemes in its area.

The traffic benefits of the project are obvious. What is likely to cause more problems is the fact that the road will run through the environmentally sensitive Erne area, close to and over some very attractive areas of shoreland.

Route

The scheme is still at a very early stage, but initial clues suggest that a route roughly following the line of the disused railway line is being considered. It would begin on the A4 Dublin Road close to the Killyhevlin Hotel, immediately cross the Erne on a bridge and run along its southern shore. It would pass the Rossory area to the south and re-join the A4 Sligo Road on the western side of the town. No detailed map has been published because a detailed route study has not been carried out.

Photos

The existing A4 Enniskillen Throughpass (here caught early on a Sunday morning in 2002) carries the A4 parallel to the town centre but this route is increasingly congested at peak times. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]