A leading consultancy business has been earning millions of pounds for a proposed new road that aims to vastly improve a vital 'transport corroridor' in the North West.

Information revealed in response to an Assembly query tabled by DUP MLA for West Tyrone Allan Bresland, showed that Mouchel has been paid £15million in two years for work on the proposed A5 Western Transport Corridor from Londonderry to Aughnacloy.

The firm - appointed by Roads Service to the A5 project in October 2007 - are scheduled to receive a total of £32million for providing professional advice on a wide range of issues including engineering, environmental, economic and traffic aspects of the scheme.

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Stormont Roads Minister Conor Murphy confirmed: "Roads Service has to date paid Mouchel £15,583,276, in relation to development work completed to date, on the A5 Western Transport Corridor project.

"It is anticipated that they will be paid around £32m under their current commission, which extends to the end of the Public Inquiry phase.

"If a successful outcome is obtained at Public Inquiry, it is anticipated that further costs to completion of the project, would be in the order of £15-£20 million."

See: A5 'Road' Plan Debated

(BMcC/GK)