Border Security Alerts Continue

A security alert in Co Armagh is this morning causing severe disruption to traffic between Newry and Dundalk.

A PSNI spokesperson said the alert was in place on the M1, south of Newry.

Gardaí have closed the road on southern side of the border and motorists travelling between Newry and Dundalk have been warned of significant delays.

Dublin-bound traffic is being diverted to old Dublin road at Newry and traffic is being directed off the M1 northbound at J20 Jonesborough until further notice.

Traffic is directed along the over pass and onto the old N1.

Meanwhile, Translink has again advised passengers that there is an ongoing security alert between Newry and Dundalk on the Belfast to Dublin line.

As a result there will be a bus substitution service between Newry and Dundalk until further notice for all Enterprise services.

A spokesperson said delays of approximately 30 minutes may occur to all services.

SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley said people are rightly furious at cross-border traffic chaos caused by security alerts and dissident hoaxes.

"After several days of rail closures, now we have the main A1/M1 closed as well.

"Pity the poor rail travellers decanted into buses at Dundalk or Newry and now stuck in vehicle queues crawling on side roads which can’t possibly cope with a fraction of the traffic being diverted onto them," he fumed today.

"People are getting over initial irritation with police responses and putting the blame where it belongs – on the organisations which plan mayhem and murder. The weekend shooting attack on police shows, if proof were needed, that caution is the correct response.

"The dissidents are going to get the same message that eventually got through to the Provos – they won't get public backing by attacking the public.

"They also need to realise that attacks on our accountable police service are also an attack on every one of us.

"Their so-called cause is going nowhere and they are going nowhere, except to jail. And when they are eventually released they will be met with the contempt of the community they tried to hold to ransom," he said.

(BMcC/GK)