A5 upgrade won't jeopardise net zero goals, court told

Authorising the £1.2bn A5 road upgrade will not jeopardise Northern Ireland's net zero climate change goals, government lawyers have told the High Court.

Counsel representing the Department for Infrastructure rejected claims it acted irrationally by approving the dual carriageway scheme without a proper action plan to ensure carbon emission targets are met.

The 53-mile project on the main corridor between Londonderry and Aughnacloy in County Tyrone was given the go-ahead by Stormont ministers in October last year.

With more than 50 deaths recorded on the A5 since 2006, campaigners have been pressing for the improvements to be carried out.

The upgrade, which forms part of a proposed key cross-border business route linking Dublin and the north west, has already been held up by previous legal actions.

A group of local residents, landowners and farmers are now mounting a fresh challenge against the decision to begin construction work.

The umbrella group, known as the Alternative A5 Alliance, contend it will breach legislative targets set out in the Climate Change (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Part of the case centres on Planning Appeals Commission recommendations against proceeding with the scheme unless the department was satisfied it would not undermine those goals.

No reasonable authority could have concluded there was enough information to demonstrate the targets would still be met if the scheme was approved, according to the Alliance's case.

But responding for the department, Paul McLaughlin, KC, confirmed that none of the allegations were accepted.

"The obligation on the department was to act consistently with the climate targets," he said.

"In this case, the department did satisfy itself through thorough analysis that the authorisation of this project was consistent with the achievement of those targets."

Mr McLaughlin added: "At the very least, the authorisation of the scheme would not prejudice achievement of those targets.

"The result is that the department did not act irrationally, it had ample information through which to satisfy itself and it therefore did not act in breach of (the act)."

The hearing continues.