New or Future Road Schemes

To help you find schemes in your area a indicates Greater Belfast and Lisburn, a for counties Armagh & Down, a for counties Tyrone & Fermanagh and a for counties Londonderry & Antrim. If you know of work taking place on local road schemes, please let me know.
This icon indicates pages which have a strip map illustrating the junctions on the new road.

Completed Schemes are listed here.


Currently Under Construction
A26 dualling - Glarryford to A44 junction Updated 27 Aug
A31 Magherafelt Bypass Updated 11 Sep
M1 Lisburn Service Area (eastbound) .
Belfast Rapid Transit System Updated 14 Sep
A24 roundabout at The Temple Crossroads Updated 11 Sep
A99 Millennium Way Phase 2, Lurgan Updated 14 Sep

Schemes due to start within the next 12 months or so
M2 Templepatrick (Southbound) Service Area .
A6 dualling - M22 to Castledawson (expected Sep 2016) Updated 17 Sep
A5 dualling Newbuildings - N of Strabane (page to track construction of this stretch - expected 2017) .
M2/M3 to A12 Westlink flyover link, York Street, Belfast (expected late 2017) .
Omagh: Strathroy Link Road (expected Late 2016) .
Newtownards - Movilla Road to Donaghadee Road and Belfast Road Link .


Schemes in Planning

Schemes listed here are being actively planned.
A1 Junctions Phase 2 (5 more grade separated junctions) (unknown timescale) .
A2 Sydenham Bypass - widening (unknown timescale) Updated 14 Sep
A2 Sydenham Bypass - new grade-separated junction at Connsbank (unknown timescale)
A2 widening L'Derry, Buncrana Road from Pennyburn to border (unknown timescale) .
A2 Ballykelly Bypass (at least ten years away)
A3 Armagh north and west link (unknown timescale) .
A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass .
A4 Enniskillen Throughpass Improvements .
A5 dualling Londonderry-Aughnacloy (page about overall A5 scheme) Updated 14 Sep
     A5 dualling S of Omagh-Ballygawley (page to track construction of this stretch - expected 2019) .
A5 Strabane to N14/N15 Lifford link road (unknown timescale) .
A6 dualling - Dungiven to Londonderry (perhaps 2019) .
A24 Ballynahinch Bypass (unknown timescale) .
A28 Armagh East Link (unknown timescale) .
A29 Cookstown Bypass (unknown timescale) .
A32 Omagh - Enniskillen various upgrades (multiple schemes) .
A55 Outer Ring at Knock - widening (unknown timescale)
A505 Sandholes Link Road, Cookstown (unknown timescale)
B170 Craigantlet Crossroads Upgrade (unknown timescale) .
Ballyclare Western Relief Road (unknown timescale) .
Belfast: Queen's Quay road upgrade (unknown timescale) .
Belfast: Lagan Footbridge (unknown timescale) .
Larne West Distributor (South) (half completed; unknown timescale for remainder) .
Narrow Water Bridge - county Down to county Louth (on hold) Updated 22 Sep
Rapid Transit Enabling Measures, Belfast (By 2017)


Schemes to Proceed within 10 Years

Schemes listed here are definite plans by Roads Service, but have not as yet proceeded into the formal legal, design or land acquisition phases. They are planned for implementation "within the next ten years or so".

M1 west-facing sliproads at Black's Road (junction 3)
M1 to A1 link, Sprucefield + grade separation of Hillsborough roundabout Updated 22 Sep
M2 Sandyknowes (junction 4) to A8(M) direct link
A1-A2 Newry Southern Relief Road (A1 to Warrenpoint Road) .
A3 dualling - Portadown to Richill
A4 Fivemiletown Bypass
A26 dualling - Ballymoney to Coleraine
A26 "2+1" upgrades Nutt's Corner to M1 junction 9 (Moira)
Belfast: Streets Ahead Enabling Measures Phase 2 .
City Centre Ring Road South, Belfast .
Newtownabbey: Mayfield Link Road Completion (Mallusk to Upper Hightown Road)


Schemes Planned by Government in the Long Term

Schemes listed here are in the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015, or referred to in other official documents, but implementation is expected to be more than ten years in the future.

M1 widening - Black's Road (junction 3) to Sprucefield (junction 7)
M2 Sandyknowes Relief Junction with new access to Mallusk and A8
A2 Greysteel Bypass
A2 Newry Southern Relief Road (A1 to Warrenpoint Road) .
A3 Northway junction improvement, Portadown
A3 Armagh southwest link (Killylea Rd to Monaghan Rd)
A4 "2+1" sections, Ballygawley to Enniskillen
A57 M2 to Belfast International Airport Link Road
Transforming the Inner Ring, Belfast .
Blacks' Road Link: Upper Malone Road, Belfast to M1 junction 3
Carrickfergus: Victoria Road extension
Carrickfergus Spine Road and Sloefield Road extensions
Downpatrick: Irish Street Link (Irish Street to St Patrick's Avenue) .
Downpatrick Eastern Bypass .
Dundonald eastern link road - Comber Road to Quarry Corner
Lisburn: Pond Park Road realignment north of North Lisburn Feeder Road
Lisburn: Knockmore Link Road (Knockmore Road to M1 junction 8) .
Londonderry: Queen's Quay widening
Saintfield Road relief road, Belfast - A55 at Belvoir to Cairnshill

 

Schemes proposed but with no definite go-ahead

These are more local schemes which have been proposed by various bodies. Most have no formal go-ahead.
A5 to A6 Link Road, Londonderry
A6 dualling - Castledawson to Dungiven
A21 Ballygowan Road Link, Comber
A25 Rathfriland Road Link, Newry .
A50 Gilford Town Centre Relief Road .
Ballymena South West Distributor
Banbridge: Ballygowan Road to Newry Road Link .
Banbridge: Lurgan Road to Huntly Road Link .
Carrickfergus: A2 Marine Highway narrowing
Coleraine ring road (A29) grade separation of Lodge Road roundabout
Craigavon: M12 to Central Way and Balteagh Road Link
Craigavon: Northway to Eastway Link 
B62 Cullybackey Bypass .
Derry: Third bridge over the Foyle at Newbuildings
Derry: Waterside link road
Derry: West Link (A40 Letterkenny Road to A2 Buncrana Road)
Newtownards - Portaferry Road to Bowtown Road Link (Bowtown Link Road)
Newtownards - Bowtown Road to Movilla Road Link .
Omagh: Dublin Road to Scarffe's Entry link road .
Omagh: Winter's Lane link road .
Portadown: Armagh Road to Tandragee Road Link (Mahon Road Link) 
Portadown: New Bann Crossing 

 

Cancelled Schemes
Schemes listed here were proposed, but have now been cancelled, or superseded by others. Most recent cancellations are at the top.

Connsbank Link and Holywood Arches Bypass, Belfast (abandoned 2014)
A5 "2+1" upgrade - Londonderry to Victoria Bridge (superseded by A5 dualling scheme)
A5 Strabane Bypass - stage 3 (superseded by A5 dualling scheme)
A5 Omagh Outer Bypass (superseded by A5 dualling scheme)
Ballynure north east link road (superseded by A8 dualling scheme)
Belfast Inner Ring Road (superseded by 'Belfast on the Move' project)
Lisburn: New junction on M1 for proposed National Stadium at Maze (will be no stadium)
A2 Glynn Bypass (near Larne) (was in roads programme from 1978-88, but then disappeared)

 

Visitors' Suggested Road Schemes

This section is to let planners see what schemes the general public see as important.

E-mail me with your wish list of road schemes.

TOP SCHEMES - schemes suggested by three or more people:

A26 dualling Moira to Aldergrove (x4)

Hillhall Road upgrade (Lisburn to East Belfast) (x3)

Southern link road at Newry connecting A2 from Warrenpoint to the A1 (x3) - now in planning

A26 Craigavon to A1 at Banbridge dual-carriageway (x3)

A50 improvements Banbridge to Portadown with local bypasses of villages (x3)

Belfast Outer Orbital from Bangor, via Carryduff, Lisburn, and Ballyclare to the A8 (x3)

Enniskillen Western Bypass (A4 to A46) (x3)

 

Schemes suggested twice:

A1 closure or grade separation of Hillsborough roundabout (x2) - now planned

A1 realignment at Dromore to smooth out tight S-bend (x2)

A4 bypasses Augher and Clogher (x2)

A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass (x2) - now planned

A12 Westlink <-> M2 direct link (x2) - now planned

A26 dualling Ballymena to Coleraine - about 50% now planned
A26 Freeflow bypass of Seven Towers roundabout, Ballymena (x2)

Newry Bypass <-> A25 Rathfriland link road (x2)

Schemes suggested once:

M1/A1 junction improvements - now planned

M1 lane drop/gain arrangement between Sprucefield j7 and Saintfield Road j6
M1 widening to three lanes Black's Road to Sprucefield (j3 to j7)
M1 j8 to Knockmore Road link, Lisburn - now planned
M2 bridge connecting Fortwilliam to Tillysburn

M2<>A26 direct links to bypass Dunsilly roundabout, Antrim

M12 to Craigavon Centre link road

M12 Grade separation of roundabout at junction 1

A2 Greysteel and Ballykelly bypasses - Ballykelly now planned

A2 Sydenham Bypass - grade separation of Tillysburn (A55) junction
A2 Sydenham Bypass - new grade separated junction at Connsbank with closure of Dee Street - now planned

A2 Bangor to Belfast road - addition of central safety barrier

A3 realignment near Middletown

A3 dualling Portadown to Armagh and on to Middletown

A3 bypasses of Moira/Magheralin/Dollingstown

A4 Enniskillen Throughpass - improvement to lane allocations at Lakeland Forum

A5 dualling Omagh to Ballygawley - now planned

A5 Aughnacloy Bypass

A6 Dungiven Bypass - now planned

A6 dualling Toome to Derry - now planned

A8 dualling to Larne - now under construction

A24/A2 add 2+1 overtaking lanes to Belfast - Newcastle - Kilkeel road
A24 Ballynahinch Bypass - now planned
A26 grade separation of Antrim to Ballymena stretch

A29 bypasses of various towns in Tyrone and Armagh
A29 dualling Coleraine to Drumcroon roundabout (where the A37 and A29 diverge)
A32 Upgrade from Enniskillen to Irvinestown

A37 2+1 section eastbound Limavady to Coleraine
A46 northern bypass Enniskillen (to A32)

A46 improvements Enniskillen to Belleek to mirror plans on Irish side of border

A55 Outer Ring Belfast - Grade separation of Newtownards, Castlereagh & Saintfield Rd junctions

A55 Outer Ring Belfast - improvements to sections in West Belfast
A55 Outer Ring Belfast - dualling at Knock - now planned
A57 upgrade - Belfast International Airport to Ballynure

A514 Crescent Link L'Derry - extension south to A5

B2 improvements - Dromore to Banbridge
B62 dualling - Ballymoney to Portrush

Belfast International Airport to M2 motorway dual-carriageway link road

Bangor Outer Ring Road

Carlingford Lough bridge - now planned

Enniskillen northern bypass - A46 to A4 via A32 Cherrymount Link
Lisburn: North-south bypass of Lisburn for A49 traffic

Newtownards - Upper North Street / Talbot Street road realignment
Rathfriland Bypass

Strangford-Portaferry bridge/tunnel

Direct link to Sprucefield from the B77 at Hillsborough

Ahoghill Bypass, near Ballymena

Why is my local road scheme not listed here ?

A large number of new roads schemes are always in the pipeline. These fall into three categories:

• Strategic road improvements, constructed at governmental (taxpayers) expense. These types of scheme only involve major roads. The plan for the period 2005-2015 is set out in the "Regional Strategic Transport Plan 2015".

• Local road improvements, also constructed at taxpayers expense. These are road schemes that do not impact on the overall strategic road system, but are still undertaken by Roads Service. Often they are outlined in localised plans such as the Northern Area Plan or Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan.

• Developer-led road improvements, funded in part or whole by property developers or companies. These typically involve local roads to improve access to housing or private commercial buildings.

Only the first two of these categories are widely publicised. The latter are often built and opened without so much as a press statement. Therefore, because I live in Belfast, I may be unaware of developer-led projects outside the Belfast area. I am always interested to know about them, however!