Strategic traffic travelling between the A1 dual carriageway and A2 dual carriageway, including Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) between Belfast / Dublin and Warrenpoint Port, is currently required to pass through Newry city centre.
The high volume of traffic in the city centre leads to significant congestion during periods of peak demand, resulting in increased journey times and poor journey time reliability. The conflict between strategic and local traffic contributes to the congestion.
Representations made from both Newry and Mourne District Council (now Newry, Mourne and Down District Council) and Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade resulted in the Department’s agreement to undertake a local transport study to the south of Newry to assess:
- the impact of the suggested southern relief road,
- the possible options for providing a new link from the A1 Dublin Road (at or in the vicinity of Cloghogue Junction) to the A2 Warrenpoint Road; and
- what alternative options are available to provide relief to traffic in the area.
In October 2006, consultancy support was engaged to assist the Department in undertaking a transportation study to assess a range of broad road improvement options to provide relief to traffic in the Dublin Road, Bridge Street, William Street, Abbey Way and A2 Warrenpoint Road area of the city of Newry. That work included:
- a review and assessment of the feasibility of options to provide a new road link from the A1 Dublin Road to the A2 Warrenpoint Road; and
- establishing the potential benefits, costs and impacts of a new road link.