The A8's claim to fame is that it the European Union's route E001 and is the main artery connecting the important freight port at Larne to the rest of Northern Ireland. For this reason the A8 can be a particularly busy road. It begins as the A8(M) motorway, which gives up after a mile, and t hereafter reverts to being the A8. There are sections of dual-carriageway at each end with single-carriageway in between. This page is about the short section at the south end.

For many years the dual-carriageway began at Corr's Corner roundabout (where the A8(M) ends) and extended about a mile to Doagh Road.  In 2004 the section from Doagh Road to Coleman's Corner was dualled (and partly realigned) and both of those junctions replaced with roundabouts. Provision seems to have been made in the design of the Coleman's Corner roundabout for further dualling towards Larne, but there are no formal plans to do this at the current time.

The dual-carriageway is of a high standard with hard shoulders along part of its length and very few private accesses. It is thus fast and safe. The two new roundabouts do prove annoying for HGV's, but they substantially improve safety for vehicles turning right onto the A8 from Doagh and Ballyclare of which there are many in the morning rush hour.

Photos

The A8 seen heading north away from Corr's Corner. [Photo by Aubrey Dale]

Looking north along the A8 from between the Doagh Road junction and Coleman's Corner during the dualling work in 2004. The land to the left is being prepared to build a new northbound carriageway. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]