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
A8 dualling - Coleman's Corner to Larne Updated 4 Apr
A2 Shore Road at Greenisland - widening Update 21 Apr
M1 Service Area, Ballyskeagh, near Lisburn Update 21 Apr
A3 Northway widening Portadown - Seagoe to Kernan Loop .

Schemes due to start within the next 12 months or so
Belfast Rapid Transit System (early 2014) Updated 4 Apr
A31 Magherafelt Bypass (due Dec 2014) Updated 4 Apr
A26 dualling - Glarryford to A44 junction (perhaps Autumn 2014)
A29 Coleraine Ring Road widening - Lodge Road to Ballycastle Road (perhaps late 2014) Added 25 Mar


Schemes in Planning

Schemes listed here are being actively planned, but are likely to commence after 2015.
M2/M3 to A12 Westlink flyover link, York Street, Belfast (after 2015)
A2 Sydenham Bypass - widening (due after 2015)
A2 Sydenham Bypass - new grade-separated junction at Connsbank .
A2 widening L'Derry, Buncrana Road from Pennyburn to border (probably after 2018) .
A2 Ballykelly Bypass (due 2020)
A3 Armagh north and west link (after 2015)
A5 dualling Londonderry-Aughnacloy (page about overall scheme) .
A5 dualling Londonderry-Strabane (spring/summer 2016)
A5 dualling Omagh-Ballygawley (spring/summer 2016)
A5 Strabane to N14/N15 Lifford link road (after 2016)
A6 dualling - M22 to Castledawson (after 2015) .
A6 dualling - Dungiven to Londonderry (after 2015) Updated 10 Apr
A24 Ballynahinch Bypass (2018 at the earliest) .
A29 Cookstown Bypass (after 2015)
A32 Omagh - Enniskillen various upgrades (multiple schemes) .
A55 Outer Ring at Knock - widening (after 2015)
A505 Sandholes Link Road, Cookstown (after 2015)
B170 Craigantlet Crossroads Upgrade (unknown timescale) .
Ballyclare Western Relief Road (unknown timescale)
Belfast: Queen's Quay road upgrade (2014 to 2016) .
Narrow Water Bridge - county Down to county Louth (on hold) .
Rapid Transit Enabling Measures, Belfast (2013/14)
Omagh: Strathroy Link Road (2015/16) Updated 4 Apr


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 .
M2 Sandyknowes (junction 4) to A8(M) direct link
A1 grade separation - final 5 junctions to turn A1 into an "expressway" Updated 25 Mar
A3 dualling - Portadown to Richill
A4 Fivemiletown Bypass
A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass Updated 10 Apr
A24 roundabout at The Temple Crossroads .
A26 dualling - Ballymoney to Coleraine
A26 "2+1" upgrades Nutt's Corner to M1 junction 9 (Moira)
A28 Armagh east link
Belfast: Streets Ahead Enabling Measures Phase 2 .
City Centre Ring Road South, Belfast .
Connsbank Link and Holywood Arches Bypass, 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 to St Patrick's Avenue Link .
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

Schemes listed here have been proposed by various people, but there are no formal plans to proceed.
A5 to A6 Link Road, Londonderry
A6 dualling - Castledawson to Dungiven
A21 Ballygowan Road Link, Comber
Antrim eastern Bypass
Ballymena South West Distributor
Belfast: A55 Outer Ring extension SW to M1 via Hillhall Road (SDLP proposal)
Belfast: A55 Outer Ring extension NW from Knocknagoney to Fortwilliam (SDLP proposal)
Belfast: A55 Outer Ring extension N of Monagh Bypass to Ligoniel (SDLP proposal)
Carrickfergus: A2 Marine Highway narrowing
Coleraine ring road (A29) grade separation of Lodge Road roundabout
Craigavon: M12 junction 1 to Craigavon Centre direct link road
B62 Cullybackey Bypass
Derry: A2 Buncrana Road widening - Galliagh to Donegal border
Derry: Third bridge over the Foyle at Newbuildings
Derry: Waterside link road
Derry: West Link (A40 Letterkenny Road to A2 Buncrana Road)
Dungannon distributor road
Larne western distributor road
Larne area: Glynn Bypass
Lurgan - Millennium Way Phase 2 Updated 10 Apr
Newtownards - Bowtown Link Road (Portaferry Road to Bowtown Road)
Omagh: Dublin Road to Scarffe's Entry link road
Omagh: Winter's Lane link road
Omagh: Tamlaght Road to Clanabogan Road link

 

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

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)

 

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 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
A32 Upgrade from Enniskillen to Irvinestown

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!