Alliance Party Councillor for Banbridge DEA, Brian Pope, has called for an urgent meeting with the Department for Infrastructure following another serious traffic accident on the A1.

Councillor Pope said: “My immediate thoughts are with those who where involved in yet another serious traffic accident on the A1 on Sunday.

“This will be a difficult time for those involved and their families, and I was particularly distressed to hear that a child may also have been involved in this crash, so my thoughts are with them at this time.”

“Following another recent traffic accident on the A1, where a 75-year-old woman sadly died, I wrote to the Department for Infrastructure to urgently request traffic accident data for the previous 5 years.”

“This accident causation information is need to clarify the reasons for traffic accidents over this period and help inform decisions on the requirement of urgent temporary road safety measures on this dangerous road.

“Initially the Department were reluctant to issue the accident data requested because of data protection concern, however, I have now received the recorded traffic accident information from the PSNI for the previous 5 years.

“Based on our initial review of this accident information I contacted the Department late last week to request an urgent meeting to discuss the installation of temporary road safety measures on the A1, ahead of the main improvement works.

“I was disappointed to subsequently receive a written response from the Department saying that they hope to issue a reply to me in early January 2020.”

“I therefore continue to call for the Department to arrange an urgent meeting and implement temporary road safety measures to reassure the public on the safety of the A1 road.”