Northern Ireland

Calls for A5 upgrade work to begin following latest fatality

A man aged in his twenties has died following a one-vehicle collision on the A5. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
A man aged in his twenties has died following a one-vehicle collision on the A5. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin A man aged in his twenties has died following a one-vehicle collision on the A5. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
By Marie Louise McConville

THERE have been fresh calls for upgrade work on the A5 to begin "as soon as possible" after a man in his twenties died.

Police said the victim was driving an articulated lorry a few miles outside Omagh on the Beltany Road at about 8.20am yesterday when a collision happened.

No other vehicles were involved.

A multi-million pound A5 dual carriageway linking Derry to Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone was one of the first major announcements of the new DUP and Sinn Féin-led executive in 2007.

SDLP assembly member Daniel McCrossan said since 2006, upwards of 40 people have lost their lives.

"The delays to carrying out this vital work have cost people their lives, have left families heartbroken and communities ripped apart," he said.

"I would urge Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd to exhaust every option open to him to bring this project forward and begin work as soon as possible."

Sinn Féin MP Órfhlaith Begley said the latest death left the community "deeply shocked and saddened".

"This is the second death resulting from an accident on the A5 within the last month alone and further reinforces the need for its long overdue upgrade. I will continue to press for the delivery of the A5 upgrade," she said.