Minister defends department over ‘traffic chaos’

Stormont’s infrastructure minister has defended his department following complaints about roadworks causing congestion in Belfast city centre.

John O’Dowd acknowledged that there had been problems arising from work on the Sydenham bypass and the new Grand Central Station public transport hub.

But he said people in rural areas would be “horrified that people would complain” about multimillion-dollar investments.

The Sinn Féin minister said the issues were being reviewed, but added that “we cannot fully plan for the inconveniences”.

Belfast’s £340 million Grand Central Station opened earlier this month for bus travel, with rail services expected to begin later this year.

Major roadworks also began last week on a resurfacing scheme on the Sydenham bypass in the east of the city. The works will take place over the next five months.

At the Stormont assembly on Monday, some members described the congestion in Belfast as “traffic chaos”.

O’Dowd told Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) that the problems at the weekend were “the result of a £3.2 million road improvement scheme”.

“I suspect people in rural Fermanagh and rural Tyrone will be horrified that people are complaining that they are spending £3.2 million in their area,” he said.

‘We are reviewing’

In response to another MLA, he added: “I’m looking at your rural colleagues as they look enviously at Belfast receiving its £3.2m road upgrade, its £340m bus and rail station.”

“Your rural colleagues are asking, ‘What are you complaining about?’”

But O’Dowd admitted there were problems with traffic congestion in Belfast, adding: “We are reviewing that.”

The minister said a “main artery to Belfast” was being rebuilt and “we cannot fully plan for the inconvenience”.

O’Dowd said he had asked his staff to “closely monitor the Belfast situation” and consider interim measures at Grand Central Station, such as changes to traffic light operations.

He said he accepted that “there are always circumstances in which public transport is not suitable”, but added that “when we are stuck in traffic, perhaps a question we should ask ourselves is: can we use public transport?”.

“Because when you’re stuck in traffic, you are the traffic,” he added.