Minister Kimmins provides update on A1 junctions phase 2 to New-Bridge Integrated College students

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has welcomed students from New-Bridge Integrated College, Loughbrickland to Parliament Buildings today.

The Year 8 students have been involved in a youth advocacy project which encourages them to become social activists. They have been focusing on the A1 and campaigning for the commencement of the A1 Junction phase 2 which will introduce a number of road safety measures along the carriageway.

Minister Liz Kimmins said “Earlier this year I had the privilege to visit New-Bridge Integrated College and hear from the Year 8 students about their project on road safety on the A1.  I am pleased to welcome some of those students and teachers to Stormont today and update them on the progress of the scheme.  Their passion for improving road safety was apparent then and they are just as passionate today.    

“Since my visit to the school I am pleased to say that there has been significant progress made on the tender process of the A1 Junctions Phase 2 and we are now planning to invite contractors to submit their detailed designs and costing for construction of the works in the coming weeks. Given the large scale nature of the scheme this tender process is expected to take six months after which we will award the contract.  In the meantime my Department intends to commence some preliminary site clearance work later this year in preparation for the scheme commencing in summer 2026.

“I remain fully committed to the A1 Junctions Phase 2 and share the desire of the New- Bridge students to make it a much safer road to travel in the future. There are too many deaths and serious injuries on our roads and we must all do everything possible to reduce the number of families devastated by serious road traffic collisions.”

Hilary Harbinson, the Vice Principal of New-Bridge Integrated College added: “We are delighted to have the opportunity today to bring our Year 8 students to Stormont so that their social campaign can be further enhanced. I would like to thank Minister Kimmins for her generosity of time for our students who feel valued and listened to. Well done to our Year 8 and all of their teachers for working diligently on this important youth advocacy project.”

Notes to editors:

1. Photo caption: Infrastructure Minister Kimmins pictured with Year 8 students from New-Bridge Integrated College, Loughbrickland. The students have been campaigning for road safety improvements along the A1.
2. The A1J2 project includes; 4 new grade separated junctions, a new northbound on-slip at Castlewellan Road, Banbridge, a new link road to Milebush Road, Dromore, the closure of 9  minor road junctions, 21 existing minor road junctions to be modified to improved Left-In Left-Out junctions (LILOs), and the closure of all gaps in the central median (circa 100).
3. Also the installation of central median Vehicle Restraint System (VRS) concrete safety barrier, over a 25km stretch of the A1 between Hillsborough roundabout and Loughbrickland.
4. Other improvements also include the stopping up of over 40 private accesses onto the A1 plus the provision of Intelligent transport Systems (ITS) along the 25km route.