The A24 is a major road 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...

; running 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...

, through Carryduff

Carryduff

Carryduff is a small town and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, about south of Belfast city centre. It had a population of 6,595 people in the 2001 Census....

 and Ballynahinch to Clough

Clough

Clough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits about 3 miles from Dundrum on the A2 road between Newcastle and Belfast. It had a population of 255 people in the 2001 Census...

, near Newcastle

Newcastle, County Down

Newcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...

 where it meets the A2.

The section of the A24 from Forestside Shopping Centre

Forestside Shopping Centre

Forestside Shopping Centre is located in Newtownbreda in the southern suburbs of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first phase of the centre, the Sainsbury's store, opened in March 1997. The popularity of the centre has exceeded expectations with traffic congestion a problem in peak trading seasons...

 to Carryduff roundabout was named by European Road Assessment Programme  (EuroRAP) as one of the six most dangerous sections of road in Northern Ireland in 2005. This part of the road is a four-lane undivided carriageway.

There has been a long-running campaign for a by-pass of the A24 around Ballynahinch. Geological surveys were conducted over twenty years ago to determine the route of the bypass but money has never been allocated by the Government. In the 1990s, various traffic control measures were introduced, including the present one-way system. All have failed, however, to cope with the sheer volume of traffic which passes through the town daily. The establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland Assembly

The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...

 in 1998 led to reports that a by-pass may commence sooner than the 6- to 15-year projection of the Direct Rule administration, supposing that a coalition of County Down

County Down

-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...

 MLAs could push the Executive to approve the project faster than Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office

The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...

ministers would. The stop-start nature of devolution, however, made such a move impossible.