Mrs Dodds acknowledged that the Minister has regard to the safety concerns of residents and relatives of those who have tragically lost their lives along the A1. “I know that the Minister is committed to the A1 improvement and has met with families of those who have lost their lives. “But residents and families of those who have tragically died deserve more. We need a firm start date to this project in Banbridge. These improvements cannot be delayed further.” Mrs Dodds added: “Although I welcome the Minister’s announcement that she has included the A1 improvement scheme in the three-year spending review, we need a firm commitment to ensure safety along the A1 and that no more lives are lost.”