The A6 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...

 runs from the 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...

 to Derry

Derry

Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...

, via Antrim

Antrim, County Antrim

Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...

. Mostly single carriageway

Single carriageway

A single carriageway is a road with 1, 2 or more lanes arranged within a single carriageway with no central reservation to separate opposing flows of traffic. Two-lane road or two-lane highway are single carriageway with one lane for each direction...

, there is a short 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...

 section forming the Toome

Toome

Toome or Toom is a small village and townland on the northwest corner of Lough Neagh in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 722.-History:...

 bypass. Towards Derry, there is also a short section of dual carriageway at Altnagelvin

Altnagelvin

Altnagelvin is a townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is also the name of an electoral ward of Derry City Council. Formerly a small village, it has been absorbed into the Waterside neighbourhood, within the larger Derry Urban Area. Situated within Altnagelvin is Altnagelvin Area...

. This is one of Northern Ireland's most important arterial routes, as the road runs between its two largest cities and urban areas. Between Randalstown

Randalstown

Randalstown is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located between the towns of Antrim and Toome. It had a population of 4,956 people in the 2001 Census. It has a very prominent disused railway viaduct and lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate...

 and Derry the road forms part of European route E16

European route E16

European route E 16 is the designation of a main west-east road through Northern Ireland, Scotland and Norway, from Derry to Oslo, via Glasgow, Edinburgh, previously by ferry to Bergen, Voss, through the Gudvanga Tunnel, Lærdal, through the Lærdal Tunnel, over Filefjell to Fagernes, Hønefoss,...

.

Route

The road begins at Carlisle Circus in north Belfast, and runs through Glengormley

Glengormley

Glengormley or Glengormly is the name of a townland and electoral ward in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Glengormley is within the urban area called Newtownabbey and the wider Newtownabbey Borough.-Location:...

, Templepatrick

Templepatrick

Templepatrick is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast, and halfway between the towns of Ballyclare and Antrim. It had a population of 1,556 in the 2001 Census. It is also close to Belfast International Airport and the village has several hotels...

, Antrim, close to Randalstown, Toome, close to Castledawson

Castledawson

Castledawson is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is mostly within the townland of Shanemullagh , about four miles from the north-western shore of Lough Neagh, and close to the market town of Magherafelt...

, close to Maghera, then over the Glenshane Pass

Glenshane Pass

The Glenshane Pass is a major mountain pass cutting through the Sperrin Mountains in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is in the townland of Glenshane on the main Derry to Belfast route, the A6.-Features:It is a Special Area of Conservation...

 to Dungiven

Dungiven

Dungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...

, finishing at the Craigavon Bridge

Craigavon Bridge

The Craigavon Bridge is one of three bridges in Derry, Northern Ireland. It crosses the River Foyle further south than the Foyle Bridge and Peace Bridge. It is one of only a few double-decker road bridges in Europe. It was named after Lord Craigavon, the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.The...

 in Derry. Between Belfast and Antrim, the M2

M2 motorway (Northern Ireland)

The M2 is a motorway in Belfast and County Antrim in Northern Ireland. It is in two sections, the southern section running from north Belfast to Antrim and the northern section acts as a bypass of Ballymena, with the A26 road linking the two sections. In total it is 22 miles...

, and between Antrim and Randalstown, the M22

M22 motorway (Northern Ireland)

The M22 is a motorway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is 5.6 miles long and connects the M2 with the A6. It forms part of the unsigned European route E16.-History:...

, run almost parallel to the A6. At Randalstown the M22 rejoins the A6.

Investment

Investment in the northwestern region has recommenced with two separate projects under development which will see 26.5 miles (42.6 km) of high-quality dual carriageway

High-quality dual carriageway

A High-quality dual carriageway is a category of road in the Republic of Ireland. It is an all-purpose dual carriageway road type built to near motorway standards, but without motorway classification or motorway restrictions. High-quality dual carriageways have full grade-separated access and do...

 constructed. The A6 Dualling Dungiven to Derry scheme will see 18.8 miles (30.3 km) of dual carriageway constructed at an estimated cost of £320m. In addition, the A6 Dualling - Randalstown (M22) to Castledawson project will see 7.7 miles (12.4 km) of dual carriageway road constructed at an estimated cost of £100m.

The remaining 19 miles (30.6 km) between Castledawson and Dungiven has not been allocated funds to develop the last stage of the dualling; it is widely hoped that by the time construction is underway on the Derry-Dungiven stretch, further funds will be made available and the two largest urban centres in Northern Ireland will finally have a high standard dual carriageway link, although this looks unlikely in the current economic climate.

In June 2008, Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy

Conor Murphy

Conor Terence Murphy is an Irish republican Sinn Féin politician.According to An Phoblacht, Murphy first became involved with the Irish Republican Army during the 1981 hunger strikes...

announced plans for a feasibility study into creating an A6-A5 Link Road around Derry. This will more than likely also be of HQDC standard. It has been noted that this is not a commitment on behalf of his department.


File:Altnagelvin Junction.jpg|Altnagelvin junction. January 2008
File:Drumahoe.jpg|Drumahoe. October 2006