THE people of Fermanagh are being urged to have their say on the long-awaited A4 Enniskillen Bypass, work on which will finally begin next year.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd encouraged the local community to give its feedback on the benefits of the bypass by taking part in a survey, which can be found here. The deadline for completing the survey is 5pm on May 5.
The survey is being carried out ahead of the appointment of the main contractor for the project, and the community is asked to give their views on the additional benefits or social value they want to see as part of the project. Social value refers to wider financial and non-financial impacts on the wellbeing of individuals, communities and the environment.
The Enniskillen Bypass scheme is the first of the Department’s major roads projects where the competitive tenders for the public contract will be assessed on the basis of social value, as well as cost and quality.
Minister O’Dowd said, “Delivery of road schemes can result in disruption during the building phase. While the completion of the scheme will see benefits around journey times, road safety and better air quality, in recognition of the inevitable upheaval during construction, local communities should have a say on wider benefits.
“This can take many forms including employment, apprenticeship or skill development opportunities for local people. It could also be support for health and well-being initiatives or community engagement.
“Local communities know their own needs better than any of us and this is their opportunity to derive maximum benefits from this particular road improvement scheme. I encourage the local residents and the business community to take part in this public engagement exercise and provide their feedback.”
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