Consultancy Fees On A5 Accelerate

A leading consultancy business has been earning millions of pounds for a proposed new road that aims to vastly improve a vital 'transport corroridor' in the North West of Ireland.

Information revealed in response to a Stormont Assembly query tabled by DUP MLA for West Tyrone Allan Bresland, showed that the firm, Mouchel has been paid £15million in two years for work on the proposed A5 Western Transport Corridor from Londonderry to Aughnacloy.

It will take in parts of the Irish Republic's roads as well and will - when completed - have a significant positive impact on local transportation between Letterkenny and Monaghan.

The consultancy firm - appointed by the North's Roads Service to the A5 project in October 2007 - are scheduled to receive a total of £32million for providing professional advice on a wide range of issues including engineering, environmental, economic and traffic aspects of the scheme.

Stormont Roads Minister Conor Murphy confirmed: "Roads Service has to date paid Mouchel £15,583,276, in relation to development work completed to date, on the A5 Western Transport Corridor project.

"It is anticipated that they will be paid around £32m under their current commission, which extends to the end of the Public Inquiry phase.

"If a successful outcome is obtained at Public Inquiry, it is anticipated that further costs to completion of the project, would be in the order of £15-£20 million."

See: A5 'Road' Plan Debated

(BMcC/GK)