IT HAS emerged £15 million had been secured to help fund the Enniskillen bypass, but it will not now be allocated to the long-awaited and much-needed project.
Last week it was reported by various outlets that funding for the bypass had been reallocated by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris to plug gaps in the Stormont budget.
However, this left some scratching their heads, as no substantial funding had ever been announced for the project, which is estimated will cost in the region of £65-75 million.
In 2021 former Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon secured £2 million in funding for advance works on the project, which saw the first diggers move in to prepare the way for work to begin on the project at the start of last year.
Last August, caretaker Minister John O’Dowd announced the bypass project was one of his top road priorities for 2023, and in a statement on Monday this week the Department of Infrastructure stated the project remained one of its top priorities.
Throughout all announcements and statements on the bypass project, though, the ministers and the Department always stressed all plans were dependent on securing funding that was not yet in place.
Now it has emerged former Minister O’Dowd did in fact secure some funding subject to approval, but this approval was never granted.
A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure told the Herald, “New Deal Funding of £15m was secured in December 2022 for Enniskillen Southern Bypass, subject to business case approval by Treasury.
“An announcement on the funding was to take place once Treasury approval was given, but unfortunately this has been paused.”
MLA Jemma Dolan said the progress had been halted by “a cruel Tory budget.”
“My constituency is deprived of modern, decent roads and investment is needed to drive regional balance and to provide the right infrastructure to help the area thrive and flourish,” she said.
“The much anticipated Enniskillen bypass would certainly contribute to that goal, by tackling congestion and pollution, improving journey times and allowing businesses to benefit from improved access.”
Ms Dolan called for an end to the DUP boycott of Stormont “to help protect our communities from these callous cuts.”
Cllr Adam Gannon said there was anger in the community at the reallocation of the funding.
“People in Enniskillen and right across Fermanagh cannot believe that this vital infrastructure project has been cancelled, with the money earmarked for this upgrade going to service the Stormont overspend,” said Cllr Gannon.
“There is real anger in this community that an area that already suffers from poor infrastructure, roads and transport links has had this vital bypass snatched away from us after we were promised this work would be carried out.”
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