A5 WTC (New Road from Aughnacloy to Derry)

[armaghniac]

You have to wonder though why the legalities weren't done properly? What heads have rolled because of this?

[Milltown Row2]

I think it is naive to think there was no northern politician influence in dropping the work so quickly. I think we know (I certainly have some experience of this) that pressure can be exerted at the right time by selected people (on both sides!) on ministers in our great executive.

A friend of mine works for a company (sales of software) but would be dealing with the likes of the Water service Housing executive and other public and private bodies. Now he's not from our shores but a Scot (well he's Scottish with English accent, long story) anyways when he worked across the water he usually needed two people (directors)to convice to buy whatever he needed, over here he said it's fcuked up, first off it's the old school ties to deal with, then it's the Masons to crack followed by the political parties and so on and so on. He said it's bad enough in GB but here was the worst.

So it's no surprise that we have so many stalemates regarding planning permission and anything else like that

[oakleafgael]

You have to wonder though why the legalities weren't done properly? What heads have rolled because of this?

Mistake made by Roads Service consultants. No conspiracy with that one as they are now out a substantial sum with the job stopped.

None and there won't be any either.

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

I think it is naive to think there was no northern politician influence in dropping the work so quickly. I think we know (I certainly have some experience of this) that pressure can be exerted at the right time by selected people (on both sides!) on ministers in our great executive.

A friend of mine works for a company (sales of software) but would be dealing with the likes of the Water service Housing executive and other public and private bodies. Now he's not from our shores but a Scot (well he's Scottish with English accent, long story) anyways when he worked across the water he usually needed two people (directors)to convice to buy whatever he needed, over here he said it's fcuked up, first off it's the old school ties to deal with, then it's the Masons to crack followed by the political parties and so on and so on. He said it's bad enough in GB but here was the worst.

So it's no surprise that we have so many stalemates regarding planning permission and anything else like that

That's so off the wall it's unreal.

[ziggysego]

I think it is naive to think there was no northern politician influence in dropping the work so quickly. I think we know (I certainly have some experience of this) that pressure can be exerted at the right time by selected people (on both sides!) on ministers in our great executive.

A friend of mine works for a company (sales of software) but would be dealing with the likes of the Water service Housing executive and other public and private bodies. Now he's not from our shores but a Scot (well he's Scottish with English accent, long story) anyways when he worked across the water he usually needed two people (directors)to convice to buy whatever he needed, over here he said it's fcuked up, first off it's the old school ties to deal with, then it's the Masons to crack followed by the political parties and so on and so on. He said it's bad enough in GB but here was the worst.

So it's no surprise that we have so many stalemates regarding planning permission and anything else like that

That's so off the wall it's unreal.

True. Exact same story as MR2. The only difference being the guy I know is Welsh, with an English accent.

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

So is that how Eircom was awarded the contract to provide the new telephony system in the whole of the Civil Service

[LeoMc]

Who fukin decided to call it the united ireland highway? Where did that come from?

It was a nickname that the Unionists took a disliking to. A pile of nonsense...

When or where was this nickname ever used?

[LeoMc]

Whilst i would also be in favour of the new road, any connection to the tragic incident and those who opposed the new road going through their land is idiotic in the extreme.

Nothing like hitting the hysteria button.   

Sympathies to those invoved in this tragic accident by the way

I don't think it is tbh though I think he was talking more about Danny Kennedy. Everyone who uses that road knows that todays tragic events won't be the last. But hey, why would you want to fix a busy death trap in the neglected west when you can build roads at Greenisland and Ballymoney instead.

Lads the one at Greenisland/Carrick is well over due in fairness, the amount of commuters to Belfast along that stretch is brutal. Granted there are many other ones which would benefit a lot of rural communities to. The infrastructure is crap in the north.

I can appreciate that MR but the A5 project had already begun. Almost 100Million had been spent. Land had been acquired and all was in place . Then when the Unionists discovered that it was being called ''the united Ireland Highway'' they had to stop it at all costs. The reason they used to get it stopped was a pile of environmental bullsh1t IMO. I am also disgusted at the local politicians who seemed to roll over and allow this to happen. These are the clowns that run our country. It makes me sick and it is costing lives.

People around here feel totally let down and days like today prove that we have been.

In fairness here I don't think the blame can be placed on the NI politicians rather it can be placed on the Roads Service engineers and legal team for the balls up they made in firstly neglecting to carry out the necessary environmental studies and then failing to interpret the legal position correctly by going ahead with the Omagh Ballygawley section. The southern Government must also shoulder some of the blame by reneging on its commitment to contribute to the costs of the project

4 of the 5 most deaths on this road in the last 2 years  have been on the Strabane - Omagh section which was dropped due to lack of Southern finance.

[Tubberman]

Whilst i would also be in favour of the new road, any connection to the tragic incident and those who opposed the new road going through their land is idiotic in the extreme.

Nothing like hitting the hysteria button.   

Sympathies to those invoved in this tragic accident by the way

I don't think it is tbh though I think he was talking more about Danny Kennedy. Everyone who uses that road knows that todays tragic events won't be the last. But hey, why would you want to fix a busy death trap in the neglected west when you can build roads at Greenisland and Ballymoney instead.

Lads the one at Greenisland/Carrick is well over due in fairness, the amount of commuters to Belfast along that stretch is brutal. Granted there are many other ones which would benefit a lot of rural communities to. The infrastructure is crap in the north.

I can appreciate that MR but the A5 project had already begun. Almost 100Million had been spent. Land had been acquired and all was in place . Then when the Unionists discovered that it was being called ''the united Ireland Highway'' they had to stop it at all costs. The reason they used to get it stopped was a pile of environmental bullsh1t IMO. I am also disgusted at the local politicians who seemed to roll over and allow this to happen. These are the clowns that run our country. It makes me sick and it is costing lives.

People around here feel totally let down and days like today prove that we have been.

In fairness here I don't think the blame can be placed on the NI politicians rather it can be placed on the Roads Service engineers and legal team for the balls up they made in firstly neglecting to carry out the necessary environmental studies and then failing to interpret the legal position correctly by going ahead with the Omagh Ballygawley section. The southern Government must also shoulder some of the blame by reneging on its commitment to contribute to the costs of the project

4 of the 5 most deaths on this road in the last 2 years  have been on the Strabane - Omagh section which was dropped due to lack of Southern finance.

We have enough to do doing looking after our own affairs, thanks.

[Walter Cronc]

Whilst i would also be in favour of the new road, any connection to the tragic incident and those who opposed the new road going through their land is idiotic in the extreme.

Nothing like hitting the hysteria button.   

Sympathies to those invoved in this tragic accident by the way

I don't think it is tbh though I think he was talking more about Danny Kennedy. Everyone who uses that road knows that todays tragic events won't be the last. But hey, why would you want to fix a busy death trap in the neglected west when you can build roads at Greenisland and Ballymoney instead.

Lads the one at Greenisland/Carrick is well over due in fairness, the amount of commuters to Belfast along that stretch is brutal. Granted there are many other ones which would benefit a lot of rural communities to. The infrastructure is crap in the north.

I can appreciate that MR but the A5 project had already begun. Almost 100Million had been spent. Land had been acquired and all was in place . Then when the Unionists discovered that it was being called ''the united Ireland Highway'' they had to stop it at all costs. The reason they used to get it stopped was a pile of environmental bullsh1t IMO. I am also disgusted at the local politicians who seemed to roll over and allow this to happen. These are the clowns that run our country. It makes me sick and it is costing lives.

People around here feel totally let down and days like today prove that we have been.

In fairness here I don't think the blame can be placed on the NI politicians rather it can be placed on the Roads Service engineers and legal team for the balls up they made in firstly neglecting to carry out the necessary environmental studies and then failing to interpret the legal position correctly by going ahead with the Omagh Ballygawley section. The southern Government must also shoulder some of the blame by reneging on its commitment to contribute to the costs of the project

4 of the 5 most deaths on this road in the last 2 years  have been on the Strabane - Omagh section which was dropped due to lack of Southern finance.

We have enough to do doing looking after our own affairs, thanks.

Good man Enda!!

[OakleafCounty]

I think there was a conspiracy to get it stopped. The head of the DRD is Danny Kennedy from UUP who's Manifesto for the last election in 2011 stated they wanted 'an urgent review of the decision to commit over 50% of the DRD's next budget on a road from Donegal to Dublin'. They go on to advocate a refocusing on other road projects such as the A2 - see page 19 http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/ ... 05_man.pdf

The fact that incomptence like this happened under Danny's 'watch' is very convienent for his electoral mandate. Also, the fact that no heads have rolled for this so called mistake just confirms that something shadey went on.

Why have the media not questioned Danny about the obvious conflict of interest between his desires as stated in the manifesto he stood on and the stated objectives of the department he heads up?

BECAUSE IT SUITS BELFAST CENTRIC MEDIA AND POLITICIANS

The same way we do not hear much complaint in the media about £110m on stadia for Belfast and nothing for the other counties; and
The same reason the University of Ulster rather than investing in the most over subscribed Campus they have (ie Magee) they have decided to pump another £250m into another campus in Belfast.

But then we are told that we are all paranoid and that if we just put our best foot forward everything will work out.

The reality is Norn Iron remains a sectarian hell hole that will only ever invest in infrastructure West of Bann when they are forced by the courts (Project Kelvin) or through co-ordinated campaigning (a la Pink Ladies).

While tax payers funds remain being dolled out from Stormont, the west will continue to get the bare minimum..........and yes that is for purely sectarian reasons from one half of the MLAs and gross incompetence by the other half.

Rant over except to say, I hope Stormont gets hit by an asteroid

[OakleafCounty]

Whilst i would also be in favour of the new road, any connection to the tragic incident and those who opposed the new road going through their land is idiotic in the extreme.

Nothing like hitting the hysteria button.   

Sympathies to those invoved in this tragic accident by the way

I don't think it is tbh though I think he was talking more about Danny Kennedy. Everyone who uses that road knows that todays tragic events won't be the last. But hey, why would you want to fix a busy death trap in the neglected west when you can build roads at Greenisland and Ballymoney instead.

Lads the one at Greenisland/Carrick is well over due in fairness, the amount of commuters to Belfast along that stretch is brutal. Granted there are many other ones which would benefit a lot of rural communities to. The infrastructure is crap in the north.

I can appreciate that MR but the A5 project had already begun. Almost 100Million had been spent. Land had been acquired and all was in place . Then when the Unionists discovered that it was being called ''the united Ireland Highway'' they had to stop it at all costs. The reason they used to get it stopped was a pile of environmental bullsh1t IMO. I am also disgusted at the local politicians who seemed to roll over and allow this to happen. These are the clowns that run our country. It makes me sick and it is costing lives.

People around here feel totally let down and days like today prove that we have been.

In fairness here I don't think the blame can be placed on the NI politicians rather it can be placed on the Roads Service engineers and legal team for the balls up they made in firstly neglecting to carry out the necessary environmental studies and then failing to interpret the legal position correctly by going ahead with the Omagh Ballygawley section. The southern Government must also shoulder some of the blame by reneging on its commitment to contribute to the costs of the project

4 of the 5 most deaths on this road in the last 2 years  have been on the Strabane - Omagh section which was dropped due to lack of Southern finance.

We have enough to do doing looking after our own affairs, thanks.

Do you not know why they were supposed to part fund the road?

[armaghniac]

4 of the 5 most deaths on this road in the last 2 years  have been on the Strabane - Omagh section which was dropped due to lack of Southern finance.

The south could not have done their bit as the likes of Sean Quinn had ruined their finances.

I was never sure why the south should have been expected to pay for this road in any case. Most people of Tyrone didn't ask to be in the 6 counties in the first case , but since the British wanted Tyrone there and control of the roads in it then they should pay for those roads.

That said if other sections were delayed there should have been enough money in any case. Or if the 26 county contribution had been a shadow toll type arrangement payable over 20 years, then this would have been agreed, so the will was not there.

[take_yer_points]

I think there was a conspiracy to get it stopped. The head of the DRD is Danny Kennedy from UUP who's Manifesto for the last election in 2011 stated they wanted 'an urgent review of the decision to commit over 50% of the DRD's next budget on a road from Donegal to Dublin'. They go on to advocate a refocusing on other road projects such as the A2 - see page 19 http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/ ... 05_man.pdf

The fact that incomptence like this happened under Danny's 'watch' is very convienent for his electoral mandate. Also, the fact that no heads have rolled for this so called mistake just confirms that something shadey went on.

Why have the media not questioned Danny about the obvious conflict of interest between his desires as stated in the manifesto he stood on and the stated objectives of the department he heads up?

BECAUSE IT SUITS BELFAST CENTRIC MEDIA AND POLITICIANS

The same way we do not hear much complaint in the media about £110m on stadia for Belfast and nothing for the other counties; and
The same reason the University of Ulster rather than investing in the most over subscribed Campus they have (ie Magee) they have decided to pump another £250m into another campus in Belfast.

But then we are told that we are all paranoid and that if we just put our best foot forward everything will work out.

The reality is Norn Iron remains a sectarian hell hole that will only ever invest in infrastructure West of Bann when they are forced by the courts (Project Kelvin) or through co-ordinated campaigning (a la Pink Ladies).

While tax payers funds remain being dolled out from Stormont, the west will continue to get the bare minimum..........and yes that is for purely sectarian reasons from one half of the MLAs and gross incompetence by the other half.

Rant over except to say, I hope Stormont gets hit by an asteroid

Have you some figures for this?

[theskull1]

So is that how Eircom was awarded the contract to provide the new telephony system in the whole of the Civil Service

Eircom have a decent sized office in Belfast