Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has confirmed that the A28 between Armagh and Markethill will shut to through-traffic during daylight hours next week while crews tackle a package of safety repairs. The daytime closure is scheduled for Monday 27 to Friday 31 October 2025, coinciding with the school half-term break to limit disruption. For commuters who rely on the key Armagh-to-Newry corridor, the works mean longer journey times and mandatory diversions.
The A28 carries significant commuter and freight traffic linking Armagh, Markethill and Newry. Any interruption therefore matters not only to local residents but also to businesses moving goods across the south of the county.
Daytime closure, 27–31 October
• Working hours: 9.30 am – 4.30 pm each day
• Scope of works: defect repair, large-scale patching, new road markings and drainage improvements
• Reason for timing: half-term week when traffic volumes are typically lower
Announcing the scheme, Minister Kimmins said, “This investment in these essential maintenance works will deliver significant benefits for residents and road users and demonstrates my commitment to improving our road network, which is vital for connecting our businesses and communities.” She also thanked the public for their patience while the works are under way.
Diversions in place
Newry-bound traffic will be diverted via the A3 Friary Road, A3 Barrack Street, A51 Gaol Square/Barrack Hill/Hamiltonsbawn Road, A51 Main Street, B111 and B78 Mullaghbrack Roads.
Armagh-bound traffic will follow a longer route using the B3, B31 and A29 through Keady, before re-joining the A3 near Armagh.
Drivers are advised to allow extra time and follow all temporary signage. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) warns of possible delays despite efforts to “minimise inconvenience”.
What remains unclear
While the notice outlines the closure, several practical details have been left unsaid:
- Cost and funding source: No budget figure is supplied, nor is it clear whether the works draw on routine maintenance funds or a separate safety allocation.
- Public transport impact: The statement does not mention bus service diversions, park-and-ride sites or arrangements for school transport once classes resume.
- Cyclist and pedestrian access: There is no reference to whether active-travel users can pass through the work zone outside the 9.30 am–4.30 pm window, or must also divert.
- Environmental considerations: With drainage upgrades included, information on sustainable materials or runoff management would be helpful.
- Future-proofing: The A28 has seen repeated surface failures in recent winters; it is unclear whether these repairs are expected to provide a long-term fix.
Broader context and trends
The announcement comes as DfI faces a maintenance backlog estimated at £1.2 billion (Northern Ireland Audit Office, 2024). Unplanned pothole repairs often crowd out preventive resurfacing, and industry bodies warn that short-term funding cycles inflate long-term costs. Meanwhile, road safety campaigners note that Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon recorded 148 injury collisions in 2024 — higher than pre-pandemic levels (PSNI statistics).
The A28 works are therefore part of a wider struggle to keep critical routes serviceable amid fiscal constraints. However, the press notice does not indicate how this project fits within DfI’s emerging Network Maintenance Action Plan 2025-30, nor whether similar closures are planned elsewhere over the winter.
Questions for further clarity
- What is the estimated cost of the A28 scheme and how is it being funded within DfI’s 2025-26 budget?
- Will Translink bus services between Armagh, Markethill and Newry be rerouted, and if so, where can passengers find timetables?
- Have measures been planned to maintain access for emergency vehicles during the daily closures?
- How will DfI monitor the durability of the new surface, given previous patching on the A28 has failed within two to three years?
- What lessons from this project will inform DfI’s longer-term strategy to balance road maintenance with climate-resilient infrastructure and active-travel priorities?
Why this matters going forward
For regular users of the A28, next week’s works are an unavoidable short-term nuisance. Yet they also offer a glimpse of the wider challenges facing Northern Ireland’s transport network: squeezed budgets, ageing roads and the competing demands of safety, sustainability and economic growth.
Residents, commuters and freight operators may wish to keep an eye on subsequent DfI statements — particularly any that spell out funding allocations, environmental standards or longer-term maintenance schedules. Transparent answers could help road users judge whether this half-term closure is a stepping stone toward lasting improvements, or merely another temporary patch on a network under strain.