B95 (Northern Ireland)
B95 | ||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||||||||
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From: | Antrim (J155864) | |||||||||
To: | Ballysillan (J309781) | |||||||||
Via: | Templepatrick | |||||||||
Distance: | 20.8 miles (33.5 km) | |||||||||
Meets: | A522, B518, M2, B59, B94, A6, A57, A6, M2, A8(M), B90, A6, B56, A52 | |||||||||
Former Number(s): | A508 | |||||||||
Primary Destinations | ||||||||||
Highway Authorities | ||||||||||
Traditional Counties | ||||||||||
Route outline (key) | ||||||||||
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Route
The B95 is a T-shaped road in south County Antrim.
The road starts at a roundabout on the A522 on the eastern side of Antrim and heads east along the D2 Fountain Hill; interestingly the road number is given in brackets here which could suggest the B95 actually starts on an unclassified road. We take the next turn right, onto the residential Greystone Road, and soon cross the B518 at a surprisingly large roundabout. On the far side the road goes through an industrial estate then TOTSOs right on the edge of town; a spur continues ahead to reach the M2 at J6.
The mainline of the B95 also reaches the motorway but has no access to it. The two roads run parallel, with one hardly ever visible from the other. Presently a lengthy spur of the B95 turns off to the left (the old junction was further west and was destroyed when the motorway was built. It goes over the M2 and then runs through Parkgate before continuing along a similar route to the Six Mile Water to the right. Presently we reach Doagh and cross the B59 at a staggered crossroads to leave town along Ballyclare Road.
Another rural section, with views over the valley to the right, take us to Ballyclare itself; we, quite naturally, enter town along Doagh Road. After running through the suburbs we reach the town centre to reach The Square, which is a one-way loop surrounding the town hall and a car park. The Ballyclare spur ends here on the B94.
If we return to the T-junction on the western side of the M2 and continue ahead on the B95 mainline, we follow the motorway over the Six Mile Water then turn away from the motorway. After passing a golf course we reach a roundabout where the road to the left is the A57 and the other two directions are numbered A6. There's a short multiplex to the right into Templepatrick and the B95 regains its number at traffic lights by a pedestrian gate to the grounds of Castle Upton.
We quickly go under the Belfast to Derry railway line then TOTSO left immediately afterwards. The road then heads in a dead-straight line southeastwards for a few miles and presently reaches the suburbs of Newtownabbey. We follow Mallusk Road through a large industrial estate to reach traffic lights, where a spur of the B95 heads left to M2 J4, where the A6 is also met again. The mainline continues ahead and again runs alongside the motorway to a signalised T-junction. A spur to the left heads to the A6 in Glengormley whilst the mainline TOTSOs right.
The road continues southwest along Hightown Road and there's a brief glimpse of open country before we get to Hightown itself. We pass through the modern estate to a T-junction where we TOTSO left and head south into the hills. After going over the top of the ridge Belfast becomes visible ahead. We don't get that far, however, as the road ends shortly afterwards at a T-junction on the A52.
History
The B95 did not exist on classification in 1923 but gained its number in the mid-1920s. At that time it ran from Antrim to Ballyclare, where it ended on the B57 in the town centre. However, it was not long before it gained its spur to the A52; road improvements seem to have made this the mainline.
Many maps in the middle of the 20th century show the road between Ballyclare and the A8 as being an extension of the B95; it seems that this section was originally the B94 and according to signs and most current maps has regained that number.
The easternmost of the B95's three shorter spurs was in existence by 1930 but the other two did not come about until the M2 was built. The short section of road between Antrim and the motorway was briefly the A508 but has now regained its older number.