Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has launched a public engagement process on route options for the upgrade of the A5 Western Transport Corridor between Newbuildings and Sion Mills. This section, known as Section 1, requires review of a previously identified preferred route due to a 2023 public inquiry report on flooding concerns.

The Department for Infrastructure seeks feedback to guide design and assessment of new options ahead of selecting a preferred route. Work on this section continues despite an ongoing legal challenge to the broader A5 project, with outcomes to be considered as proceedings advance.

Kimmins stated her commitment to completing the A5 project to improve safety on the current road. She noted that recent court proceedings recognize the urgency of progress and that early consultations prevent future delays.

Public exhibitions are scheduled at Fir Trees Hotel in Strabane on Wednesday, May 27, from 11am to 8.30pm, and at Everglades Hotel in Prehen, Derry, on Thursday, May 28, from 11am to 8.30pm. Materials and feedback forms will also appear online from May 27 at www.A5WTC.com.

In October 2024, former roads minister John O’Dowd approved the first 34 miles of the A5 from south of Strabane to near Ballygawley.

Separately, Kimmins announced a £220,000 resurfacing project on 320 metres of Seymour Gardens in Derry's Waterside area. The work, from Sperrin Park to Kinsale Park junctions, starts May 11, 2026, and aims for completion by June 19, 2026, subject to weather.

Road and lane closures will apply during the resurfacing. Drivers must follow traffic restrictions and anticipate delays.