IT has been a long time coming, but the A4 Enniskillen bypass is back on the road.
On Monday night, news emerged that Northern Ireland’s Minister for Finance, Caoimhe Archibald, has allocated over £16 million to help with the development of the long-awaited Enniskillen Southern Bypass.
Up until now, the development has had its fair share of false starts.
In 2021 the Herald reported that former Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon had 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 2022.
Last August it emerged £15 million had been secured to help fund the Enniskillen bypass, but it was not going to be allocated to the long-awaited and much-needed project.
Instead, 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.
The latest £16 million government cash injection gave local politicians hope for the future, however.
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA, Jemma Dolan, said the confirmation from her party colleague will be ‘hugely positive news’ for Enniskillen and Fermanagh.
“Construction of this bypass will be crucial in making our roads safer, cutting journey times and emissions and improving connections between the A4 Dublin road and the A4 Sligo road, in Enniskillen,” she said.
“It will also be a huge economic driver for Enniskillen and crucial to helping unlock this area’s full potential.
“This is hugely positive news. I will continue to work with the infrastructure minister to see the timely completion of this project.”
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