A1 road (Northern Ireland)

Last updated

UK road A1.svg
A1
Route information
Part of Tabliczka E01.svg E01
Length42.5 mi (68.4 km)
HistoryDualling from Sprucefield to the border took place between 1971 and July 2010.
Major junctions
North end Belfast
Major intersections
South endNear Meigh, south of Newry at border with the Republic. Becomes M1.
Location
Country United Kingdom
Constituent country Northern Ireland
Primary
destinations
Dunmurry
Lisburn
Sprucefield
Hillsborough
Dromore
Banbridge
Loughbrickland
Newry
Road network
The route of the A1 in red from Belfast city centre (County Antrim) to the border at Carrickcarnan (County Louth) A1 road (Ireland).jpg
The route of the A1 in red from Belfast city centre (County Antrim) to the border at Carrickcarnan (County Louth)

The A1 is a major route in Northern Ireland. It runs from Belfast via Lisburn and Banbridge to the border with the Republic of Ireland south of Newry, from where the road continues to Dublin, becoming the N1 road and M1 motorway. Between Sprucefield and Carrickcarnan the road forms part of the European route E01.

Contents

Recent developments

The A1 is dual carriageway south from Sprucefield but some junctions remain relatively low specification as they necessitate right-turning movements across the central reservation. The busier junctions have been improved by the provision of bridges or underpasses.

A flyover was constructed at the busy Rathfriland Road junction in Banbridge and an underpass at the very dangerous Hillsborough road junction in Dromore was completed in June 2005. [1]

Improved junctions at Banbridge and Hillsborough opened in September 2009, [2] at Loughbrickland in December 2009 [3] and at Banbridge Road, Dromore in February 2010. [4]

The scheme involving the dualling of the A1 between Beech Hill and Cloghogue was completed in July 2010, five months ahead of schedule. [5]

A deserted A1 during the Covid pandemic, 2020 A deserted A1 near Newry.jpg
A deserted A1 during the Covid pandemic, 2020

Planned developments

The Roads Service of Northern Ireland has planned to provide four further grade separated junctions. These schemes are located at:

Further measures envisaged to improve safety include a central reservation safety barrier to be constructed from the A1's junction with the M1 at Sprucefield to Loughbrickland. This will involve the closing of many of the dual carriageway's central cross-over points. [6]

The small memorial on the disused part of the A1, the scene of the Miami Showband Massacre, the lettering on which appears to imply it is also in commemoration of the two terrorists who died at the spot. Memorial to the Miami Showband, A1 Road.jpg
The small memorial on the disused part of the A1, the scene of the Miami Showband Massacre, the lettering on which appears to imply it is also in commemoration of the two terrorists who died at the spot.

The Road Service also plan to improve the link between the M1 and A1 at Sprucefield in a scheme that would include a flyover at Hillsborough, replacing the last remaining roundabout on the route between Dublin and Belfast. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M1 motorway</span> First inter-urban motorway in the UK

The M1 motorway connects London to Leeds, where it joins the A1(M) near Aberford, to connect to Newcastle. It was the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the UK; the first motorway in the country was the Preston Bypass, which later became part of the M6.

The A1, also known as the Great North Road, is the longest numbered road in the United Kingdom, at 410 miles (660 km). It connects London, the capital of England, with Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The numbering system for A-roads, devised in the early 1920s, was based around patterns of roads radiating from two hubs at London and Edinburgh. The first number in the system, A1, was given to the most important part of that system: the road from London to Edinburgh, joining the two central points of the system and linking the UK's (then) two mainland capital cities. It passes through or near north London, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Baldock, Letchworth Garden City, Biggleswade, Eaton Socon, Buckden, Peterborough, Stamford, Grantham, Newark-on-Trent, Retford, Doncaster, Pontefract, York, Wetherby, Ripon, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, Morpeth, Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M1 motorway (Republic of Ireland)</span> Motorway connecting Dublin and the Northern Ireland border

The M1 motorway is a motorway in Ireland. It forms the large majority of the N1 national primary road connecting Dublin towards Belfast along the east of the island of Ireland. The route heads north via Swords, Drogheda and Dundalk to the Northern Irish border just south of Newry in County Armagh, where it joins the A1 road and further on, the M1 motorway in Northern Ireland. It also forms a significant part of the road connection between Dublin and the Northern Irish cities of Newry, and Lisburn. The route is part of European route E01.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N11 road (Ireland)</span> National primary road in Ireland

The N11 road is a national primary road in Ireland, running for 129 km (80 mi) along the east side of Ireland from Dublin to Wexford. It passes close to Bray, Greystones, Wicklow, Arklow, Gorey, and Enniscorthy. Beyond Wexford, the route continues to Rosslare as the N25. The road forms part of European route E01. As of July 2019 the N11/M11 is of dual carriageway or motorway standard from Dublin as far as Oilgate in County Wexford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A45 road</span> Major road in England

The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry. It then heads to Northampton and Wellingborough before running north of Rushden and Higham Ferrers and terminating at its junction with the A14 in Thrapston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Development Plan</span> Large infrastructure developments in Ireland

National Development Plan is the title given by the Irish Government to a scheme of organised large-scale expenditure on (mainly) national infrastructure. The first five-year plan ran from 1988 to 1993, the second was a six-year plan from 1994 to 1999 and the third ran as a seven-year plan from 2000 to 2006. A fourth National Development Plan ran from 2007 to 2011. The main elements of the third plan were the development of a national motorway network between the major cities in Ireland. The upgrading of the rail network was a secondary scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dual carriageway</span> Type of road

A dual carriageway (BrE) or a divided highway (AmE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are designed to higher standards with controlled access are generally classed as motorways, freeways, etc., rather than dual carriageways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banbridge (district)</span> District of Northern Ireland (1973–2015)

Banbridge was a local government district in Northern Ireland. The district was one of 26 council areas formed on 1 October 1973, following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1972. The headquarters of the council were in the town of Banbridge. In April 2015, most of the Banbridge district was included in the merged Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district. Some smaller areas in the east of the district became merged with the Newry, Mourne and Down District

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M1 motorway (Northern Ireland)</span> Motorway in Northern Ireland connecting Belfast and Dungannon

The M1 is a motorway in Northern Ireland. It is the longest motorway in Northern Ireland and runs for 38 miles (61 km) from Belfast to Dungannon through County Antrim, County Down, County Armagh and County Tyrone. It forms part of the route via the A1 in Northern Ireland between Belfast and Dublin as well as being a part of the unsigned European E01 and E18 routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dromore, County Down</span> Town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland

Dromore is a small market town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies within the local government district of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. It is 19 miles (31 km) southwest of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast–Dublin road. The 2011 census recorded a population of 6,395.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinallen</span> Village in Northern Ireland

Kinallen is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is four miles from Dromore and two miles from Dromara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A421 road</span> East-west road in southern England

The A421 is an important road for east/west journeys across south central England. Together with the A428, the A43 and A34, it forms the route from Cambridge through Milton Keynes to Oxford. The section between the A1 and the A5 is a national primary route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belfast–Newry line</span>

The Belfast–Newry line operates from Lisburn station in County Antrim to Newry in County Down, Northern Ireland. The manager for this line is based at Portadown railway station, although the line extends to the border to include the Scarva and Poyntzpass halts and Newry. Newry is on the fringe of the network, being the last stop before the border with the Republic of Ireland. The line follows the route of the northern half of the main Dublin–Belfast line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westlink (road)</span> Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland

The Westlink road in Belfast, Northern Ireland is a dual carriageway throughpass, designated the A12, connecting the M1 to the M2 and M3 motorways which run south, north and east of the city, respectively. The road forms part of European route E01.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A4 road (Northern Ireland)</span> Major road in Northern Ireland

The A4 is a major east–west road in Northern Ireland. It travels for 69.2 miles from Portadown to Belcoo through County Armagh, County Tyrone and County Fermanagh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A3 road (Northern Ireland)</span> Major road in Northern Ireland

The A3 is a major road in Northern Ireland. It travels through County Antrim, County Down, County Armagh and parts of southern County Fermanagh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A26 road (Northern Ireland)</span> Road in Northern Ireland

The A26 is a road in Northern Ireland. It travels in a north–south direction from Coleraine, County Londonderry to Banbridge, County Down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banbridge</span> Town in County Down, Northern Ireland

Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half. The town began as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing. The town was home to the headquarters of the former Banbridge District Council. Following a reform of local government in Northern Ireland in 2015, Banbridge became part of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. It had a population of 17,400 in the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European route E1</span> Road in trans-European E-road network

European route E1 is a series of roads in Europe, part of the United Nations International E-road network, running from Larne, Northern Ireland to Seville, Spain. There is a sea crossing between Rosslare Harbour, in Ireland, and Ferrol, but no ferry service. The road also passes through Portugal – past the city of Porto, through the capital, Lisbon, and then south to the Algarve, passing Faro before reaching the Spanish border west of Huelva.

Maze is an electoral ward in the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area of Northern Ireland. It predominantly lies in County Down although its northwestern corner lies in County Antrim, the division being the River Lagan. The Maze electoral ward consists of the settlements of Mazetown, Long Kesh, Culcavy, Aghnatrisk, Halftown and Ravernet. In 2001, there were 3393 residents in the electoral ward.

References

  1. "£4m underpass opens at accident blackspot". Belfast Telegraph . 18 June 2005.
  2. Wilkinson, Paul (15 September 2009). "'FLYOVERS' DUE OPEN AMID WAVE OF COMPAINTS". Dromore Leader. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. Johnston, Wesley (22 December 2009). "A1 grade separated junction, Dublin Road, Loughbrickland". Northern Ireland Roads site. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  4. Johnston, Wesley (6 February 2010). "A1 grade separated junction – Banbridge Road, Dromore". Northern Ireland Roads site. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  5. "Newry bypass officially opens five months ahead of time". BBC News. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  6. "Eastern Seaboard Corridor – A1 Junctions Phase Two". Northern Ireland Road Service. 2008. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  7. "Eastern Seaboard Corridor – M1/A1 Sprucefield By-Pass". Northern Ireland Road Service. 2008. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2010.

54°23′48″N6°10′33″W / 54.39665°N 6.17586°W / 54.39665; -6.17586