Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has reaffirmed her commitment to delivering the long-awaited A1 Junctions Phase 2 upgrade, while confirming that the procurement process has been extended by 12 months pending the outcome of the A5 road appeal. The Minister met with road safety campaigners on 18 March 2026 to provide assurances that the £120 million scheme remains a priority, despite legal complications arising from a landmark climate change ruling that has stalled major infrastructure projects across Northern Ireland.
The A1 upgrade, which covers the dual carriageway between Hillsborough and Loughbrickland, has been in development since 2006 and aims to eliminate dangerous right-turn junctions that have contributed to dozens of fatalities over the past two decades.
A Contingency Measure to Keep the Scheme Alive
Minister Kimmins confirmed she has instructed officials to extend the restricted list of tenderers for 12 months, effectively pausing but preserving the procurement process that commenced in December 2024. This decision follows the High Court’s June 2025 ruling that quashed the A5 dual carriageway project on grounds of non-compliance with the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.
The Minister explained the rationale for the delay:
“It is critical that we consider the outcome of the appeal before taking the next steps. We do not want to be in a scenario where we face challenges on everything, which would further delay the projects and increase costs.
“I recently instructed my officials to extend the restricted list of tenderers for a period of 12 months, continuing to keep this important scheme live, pending the outcome of the A5 appeal. This is a contingency measure to keep the scheme live whilst the appeal is underway. The procurement process can be resumed at any stage.”
The Department for Infrastructure expects the contract to be awarded in 2026 with construction taking a further three years, though these timelines now face uncertainty while legal advice is sought on how the A5 judgment affects this scheme.
Meeting the Campaigners
The Minister’s meeting with Monica Heaney, Sinead Lunny and Alliance councillor Joy Ferguson underscored the human cost of delays on the A1. Between 2002 and 2019, there were 661 collisions and 41 fatalities on this stretch of road. Ms Heaney lost her son Karl in a collision on the A1 in 2018, while Ms Lunny suffered life-changing injuries in a crash on the same road in 2008.
Minister Kimmins said:
“Every death on our roads is a profound loss to families and communities and unfortunately the A1 is a road where, over the years, too many collisions have occurred, and too many lives have been forever changed by loss or injury.
“I welcomed the opportunity to meet with Monica, Sinead and Cllr Ferguson to provide an update on the scheme. I greatly admire their courage in sharing their heartbreaking experiences and I wholeheartedly support their call for safety upgrades. I am committed to delivering this scheme.”
What the Upgrade Involves
The A1 Junctions Phase 2 scheme represents a significant safety investment:
- Cost: Estimated between £120–130 million (up from £40–50 million in 2016)
- Scope: Four new grade-separated ‘flyover’ junctions between Hillsborough and Loughbrickland
- Safety features: Closure of all gaps in the central reservation and provision of a continuous central reserve safety barrier
- Traffic volume: The road carries approximately 40,000 vehicles per day
- History: First proposed in July 2006; public inquiry held in March 2020; Direction Order made in July 2021
Partial safety improvements have already been completed, including the closure of central reservation gaps on the Hillsborough and Banbridge bypasses between 2017 and 2019.
The A5 Shadow and Unanswered Questions
The Minister’s statement acknowledges that “public commentary on the impact of the A5 appeal on major projects has caused some concern.” The High Court’s June 2025 ruling found that the Department for Infrastructure failed to demonstrate compliance with Section 52 of the Climate Change Act, which requires departments to act consistently with emissions targets and coordinate planning across government.
While the Minister maintains she is “fighting tooth and nail” for these projects, the statement leaves several critical gaps:
- No specific assessment has been published showing how the A1 scheme complies with the Climate Change Act requirements that tripped up the A5 project
- No interim safety measures are proposed for the dangerous junctions during the extended procurement period
- The “restricted list of tenderers” suggests limited competition, potentially affecting value for money, though this remains unconfirmed
- No contingency timeline is offered should the A5 appeal fail
Broader Context: Road Safety in Northern Ireland
The delay comes against a backdrop of persistent road safety challenges. Provisional figures show 57 people died on Northern Ireland’s roads in 2025, down from 69 in 2024, though serious injuries increased to 751 in the first nine months of 2025. The A1 remains one of the most dangerous roads on the island, with campaigners having lobbied Stormont for over a decade.
The legal landscape for infrastructure has shifted dramatically. As Pinsent Masons construction disputes expert Jennifer Lee noted regarding the A5 case: “The A5 appeal is more than a legal dispute – it’s a litmus test for how Northern Ireland balances infrastructure ambition with environmental accountability.”
Questions for the Department
- Has the Department for Infrastructure conducted a Climate Change Act compliance assessment for the A1 scheme similar to the one that failed for the A5, and will this be published?
- What specific interim safety measures—such as speed restrictions, improved signage, or temporary barriers—will be implemented at the dangerous junctions while the procurement remains suspended?
- How does the “restricted list” procurement method affect competition and costs compared to open tendering, and what safeguards ensure value for money?
- If the A5 appeal fails, will the A1 scheme proceed under modified climate compliance plans, or will it require fundamental redesign?
- Given the 20-year history of this project and rising costs (from £22m in 2006 to £130m today), what guarantees can be given that further legal delays won’t push costs beyond viability?
The Minister’s commitment appears genuine, but the path to construction remains blocked by legal uncertainty. With construction potentially three years away even after contract award, and the A5 appeal process likely to extend well into 2026, the A1 campaigners face more years of waiting before the road that claimed their loved ones becomes the expressway standard promised two decades ago.