The A1 is a major route in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It runs from Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 via Lisburn

Lisburn

DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...

 and Banbridge

Banbridge

Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road. It was named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. The town grew as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing...

 to the border with the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 south of Newry

Newry

Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...

, 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

European route E01

The European route E 01 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...

.

Recent developments

The A1 is fully dual carriageway

Dual carriageway

A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...

 but some junctions remain relatively low specification as they necessitate right-turning movements across the central reservation

Central reservation

On divided roads, such as divided highways or freeways/motorways, the central reservation , median, parkway , median strip or central nature strip is the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic...

. The busier junctions have been improved by the provision of bridges or underpasses.

A flyover has been constructed at the busy Rathfriland

Rathfriland

Rathfriland is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a hilltop Plantation of Ulster settlement between the Mourne Mountains, Slieve Croob and Banbridge. It had a population of 2,079 people in the 2001 Census.-History:...

 Road junction in Banbridge and an underpass at the very dangerous Hillsborough

Hillsborough, County Down

Hillsborough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn City Council area....

 road junction in Dromore

Dromore, County Down

Dromore is a small market town in the Banbridge District of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is south-west of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast – Dublin road. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 4,968 people....

 was completed in June 2005.

Improved junctions at Banbridge and Hillsborough opened in September 2009, at Loughbrickland in December 2009 and at Banbridge Road, Dromore in February 2010.

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

Planned developments

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

• Listullycurran Road, between Dromore and Hillsborough
• Gowdystown Road, south of Dromore
• Skeltons Road, between Dromore and Banbridge
• Waringsford Road, north of Banbridge.

Further measures envisaged to improve safety include a central reservation safety barrier be to constructed from the A1's junction with the M1 at Sprucefield

Sprucefield

Sprucefield is a major out-of-town retail park in the townland of Magherageery, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the southern edge of Lisburn; about one mile from the middle of Lisburn and ten miles from the middle of Belfast. Sprucefield is located beside the M1 motorway and the A1 road...

to Loughbrickland. This will involve the closing of many of the dual carriageway's central cross-over points.

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, the last remaining roundabout on the route between Dublin and Belfast.


File:A1 Cloghogue Roundabout.jpg|E01: roadworks at the Cloghouge roundabout on the A1 road, Newry, Northern Ireland.November 2007.
File:A1 looking south. - geograph.org.uk - 87676.jpg|A1 looking south. Just before the rh turn for Moira.December 2005
File:Sheepbridge Inn - geograph.org.uk - 178645.jpg|Sheepbridge Inn. On one of the few remaining single-carriageway stretches of the A1 Belfast to Dublin road.June 2006