Draft transport plan critical to A2 Buncrana Road project will not be ready for consultation until December

Transcript

00:00Minister, can I get an update on the A2 Bunkerana Road Scheme, please?

00:05Major road schemes are an important part of the work that is delivered by my Department

00:09as we seek to reduce journey times, increase reliability and improve road safety. The A2

00:15Bunkerana Road Scheme will be considered as part of the North West Transport Plan, which

00:19will be subject to a public consultation process. Views from the public were sought to help shape

00:24the vision and objectives for the transport plan, as well as identifying local transport

00:28concerns in the district through public engagement, which commenced on the 27th of August and concluded

00:33on the 5th of November last year. The draft plan is expected to be published for public consultation

00:38in December this year. In line with that, we hope to be able to move on with that. Obviously,

00:45everything is subject to budget, but it is important that that is a priority scheme.

00:50Padre de Largui for supplementary.

00:53Thank you, Minister. It is reassuring to hear that. You have answered my supplementary question

00:57already, but it is great to hear the progress on that. It was just to see if you had any other

01:03timelines around that in terms of the Regional Strategic Transport Network Plan, in terms of when

01:10that will be published or any further details on it. As the Member may be aware, my Department is

01:16currently developing the new Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan, which will set out

01:22priorities for investment in our road, rail and inter-urban limited stock bus network, including

01:27Park and Ride, right through to 2035. I expect a draft of that plan to be ready for public consultation

01:33also at the end of this year.