I thought I’d never see it in my lifetime’: Ballynahinch bypass green light

https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2025-03-12/goodbye-bottleneck-hello-bypass-ballynahinch-project-gets-green-light

'I thought I'd never see it in my lifetime': Ballynahinch bypass green light

On-screen journalist, UTV

Ballynahinch bypass

A lovely lady from Helping Hinch charity shop looked out at the media commotion in the sunny Market Square this morning, and asked me what was going on.

"The Infrastructure Minister is here giving an announcement on the Bypass," I told her, and explained it has progressed to the next stage and spades could be in the ground in two years…. And she absolutely beamed.

She ushered me into the shop to speak to her fellow volunteer, Ethel Hamilton, who was also more than enthusiastic about the news.

"I've been waiting 55 years," she told me.

"It would an awful lot of difference because the traffic congestion in the town is just dreadful. Even in the early hours of the morning, there's still a queue-up."

I asked Ethel if she was worried about a reduction in footfall because of the 3.1km route skirting around the town.

"Absolutely not," she insisted, "more people will come because there'll be more parking".

This enthusiasm for the project was echoed as I interviewed businesses and punters around the sun. Plenty stopped to chat.

"You're joking," exclaimed one lady who was out shopping when I approached her and told her the news.

"I've been married 50 years and the house I bought when we got married was supposed to be directly in the bypass, and my solicitor said to me are you sure you want to buy this house?

And I said, the bypass will never happen in my lifetime," she said, adding that she had no concerns about her home now.

Andrew from Stewart and Gibson store is a third generation family businessman.

He would like to know a bit more information before deciding if it will help or harm traders.

"It's been talked about for decades, even when my Granda was here he said the bypass is coming.

"Will I ever see it? I don't know," he said, skeptical after years of promises, but no tarmac poured.

"We don't know will it impact us as a business? It could cure us, it could make things better, but we don't actually know what the benefits or the drawbacks will be until it's probably here.

"We've seen other towns like Dromore, it has a bypass, but it's not really thriving, so will Ballynahinch suffer, because people will go past us?"

So will this definitely go ahead?

It has progressed to the procurement stage, with the Department for Infrastructure saying work will now commence "to review and update the necessary documents to bring this scheme to procurement, including the finalising of the Business Case."

"This process is likely to take in the region of two years… With a procurement start planned in 2027/28, works could commence in 2028/29 and take 2 years to complete," said the statement.

"Delivery of the scheme will be dependent on the successful completion of the statutory processes and the future availability of finance."

You'll notice the language used here includes words like "likely to", "in the region of", and "dependent on", but Minister Liz Kimmins said she is committed to the project.

"This is a long awaited project for local people, it will be transformational and we hope to move it at pace," she said.

"I think like all projects, we have to work through the processes.

"This is a priority for me and I have given a commitment that we will see the delivery of this."

Minister Kimmins added that officials are reviewing the £60million cost estimate, and they "hope there is not too much of an increase."

You can read more about the project here.