In the Greater Belfast area traffic has now eased.

Elsewhere

• Motorists are advised that roads will remain closed in the Garvagh area for a number of hours while colleagues from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service tend to a fire on Craigmore Road. Closures are in place at Ringsend, Cashel Road, Drumcoon Road and Mayboy Road. Please avoid the area at this time. 

THIS WEEKEND - A2 SYDENHAM BY PASS CITYBOUND CLOSED

The Department for Infrastructure will resume essential £3.8m resurfacing works on the A2 Sydenham Bypass from Monday 6 January 2025.

To minimise disruption, works will continue during weeknights and weekends. The Belfast-bound carriageway will be closed between Tillysburn and the M3 as follows:

              • Weeknights: 10:00 pm to 6:00 am, Monday to Thursday

              • Four additional weekends: 10:00 pm Friday to 6:00 am Monday (with the first weekend closure scheduled from Friday 17 to Monday 20 January 2025).

There will be no Right turn from Dee Street on to M3 Weekend Fri 17th Jan from 10pm until Mon 20th Jan 6 am - a diversion will be in place via Sydenham Road.

Access to Belfast City Airport will be maintained via left turn onto Sydenham Bypass from Dee Street - If travelling from Airport or picking up please factor in delays to your journey time.

All weekend closures dates will be weather dependent and the Department will keep the public informed once dates are confirmed.

Some weekend and overnight lane closures will also be required on the country bound lanes to ensure the safety of road workers and the travelling public while work is undertaken.

Completion is expected by early March 2025, subject to favourable weather conditions.

The Department recognises the impact of the initial phase of works and has suitable traffic management and diversions in place which we keep under constant review to address challenges, keep the project on track and minimise disruption to the public. The pause in works over Christmas ensured minimum disruption during the busy shopping period.

When works recommence road users should plan ahead, allow extra time for journeys, and check TrafficwatchNI for updates. Thank you for your patience as we deliver these critical improvements.

A £446,000 carriageway and footway resurfacing scheme on the New Lodge Road, Belfast commenced on Monday 13 January 2025.

The resurfacing scheme, which extends from the junction of Antrim Road to North Queen Street, will deliver significant benefits for residents and road users.

To facilitate the scheme, it will be necessary to implement these works in two separate phases.

Phase 1 – Antrim Road to Lepper Street will require weekday road closures for the duration of the works from Monday 13 January 2025 until Friday 14 February 2025, between the hours of 8.00am and 6.00pm. 

During these times a signed Diversionary route will be in place using the New Lodge Road, North Queen Street, Duncairn Gardens and the Antrim Road.

Phase 2 – Lepper Street to North Queen Street will require weekday road closures for the duration of the works from Monday 17 February 2025 until Friday 16 April 2025, between the hours of 8.00am and 6.00pm. 

Diversions details to be confirmed.

The Department has programmed the work operations and traffic management arrangements to minimise inconvenience however, while steps have been taken to accommodate local access, road users should expect some delays and are advised to allow additional time when travelling in the vicinity of the works and are asked to comply with all temporary traffic restrictions.  

Subject to favourable weather conditions, the works will be substantially complete by Friday 16 April 2025, however the Department will keep the public informed of any change. 

Road Users are advised that there will be a Road Closure from Saintsbury Avenue to 2 Hillsborough Old Rd to facilitate work by NI Water Operations.

Reason for closure: SEWER CONNECTION.

This will be operational Continuous from Mon 13 Jan 2025 to: Mon 27 Jan 2025.

The works will start at 0800 on 13th January 2025 and will finish at 1630 on 27th January 2025.

The anticipated delay will be 5 - 15 minutes.

An alternative route will be signed with traffic being diverted via: Diversion 1: C0305 HILLSBOROUGH OLD ROAD, C0305 RAVERNET ROAD, A0001 HILLSBOROUGH ROAD, A0001 LAGANBANK ROAD, A0001 QUEENS ROAD, A0049 SLOAN STREET, C0297 YOUNG STREET.

A resurfacing scheme on the A2 Shore Road Strangford is due to commencing Monday 6 January 2025 and runs to 14 March 25.

The resurfacing scheme will involve the asphalt resurfacing of a 1.3 kilometre stretch of the Shore Road between Strangford Village and Kilclief. The scheme will start from the end of a 2023 resurfacing scheme, 1 kilometre south of Strangford village and extend for 1.3 kilometre in the Kilclief/Ardglass direction.

There will be a daily road closure in place times 8am - 5pm

An alternative route will be signed with traffic being diverted via the following route:

• A0025 Castleward Road, A0025 Downpatrick Road, A0002 Shore Road, C0283 Churchtown Road, C0366 Lismore Road, C0283 Crew Road, A0002 Ardglass Road.

Delays are possible, road users are asked to allow extra time for journeys in this area.

To facilitate the safe delivery of the scheme it will be necessary to implement daily lane closures from 9:30 am to 16:30 pm, Monday to Friday, from Monday 13 January to Friday 7 February 2025

.

A daytime road closure will be required to facilitate the final resurfacing works, which will commence from 9:30 am to 16:30 pm, Monday to Friday, from Monday 10 February to Friday 21 March 2025.

An alternative route will be signed with traffic being diverted via the following route:-

LGV’s / Cars

• Carrigenagh Rd, Head Road, and Quarter Road.

HGV’s

• Bridge Street, Newry Road, Killowen Road, Shore Road, Kilbroney Road, Rostrevor Road, Castlewellan Road, Hilltown Road, Dublin Road, Newcastle Road, Castlewellan Road, Shimna Road, Bryansford Road, Central Promenade, South Promenade, Ballagh Road, Glasdrumman Road, Kilkeel Road, Annalong Road and Newcastle Road.

A1 Southbound Closure

A1 Dual Carriageway Southbound Closure from Cloghogue Junction to boundary with ROI, commencing on Friday 24 January 2025 at 23:00 to Saturday 25 January 2025 at 06:00 (overnight for 1 night).

This closure is to facilitate cats eyes and road studs replacement work.

The following diversion will be in place:

• A1 Southbound Cloghogue off-slip, A1 Southbound Cloghogue on-slip,
• A1 Southbound (lane 1 of 3 lane section), Ellisholding Off-slip, B113 Dublin Road, R132, N1 Junction 20 Southbound on-slip.

Please ensure to allow additional time for your journey.

A1 Northbound Closure

A1 Dual Carriageway Northbound Closure from Carnbane Junction, Newry to Newry Road Junction, Banbridge (Boulevard), commencing on Monday 27 January to Wednesday 29 January 2025, from 23:00 to 06:00 each night (overnight only for 2 nights).

This closure is to facilitate cats eyes and road studs replacement

work.

The following diversion will be in place:

• (A28) Shepherds Way, (A27) Tandragee Road, (A27) Newry Road, (A27) Church Street, (A27) Chapel Street, (A27) Aughlish Road, (B10) Station Road, (B3) Main Street, (B10) Glenloughan Road, (B10) Scarva Road, (B10) Scarva Street, (C351) Commercial Road, (A26) Newry Road.

Please ensure to allow additional time for your journey.

A1 Southbound Closure

A1 Dual Carriageway Southbound Closure from Newry Road Junction, Banbridge (Boulevard) to Carnbane Junction, Newry, commencing on Wednesday 29 January to Friday 30 January 2025, from 23:00 to 06:00 each night (overnight only for 2 nights).

This closure is to facilitate cats eyes and road studs replacement work.

The following diversion will be in place:

• (A26) Newry Road, (C351) Commercial Road, (B10) Scarva Street, (B10) Scarva Road, (B10) Glenloughan Road, (B3) Main Street, (B10) Station Road, (A27) Aughlish Road, (A27) Chapel Street, (A27) Church Street, (A27) Newry Road, (A27) Tandragee Road, (A28) Shepherds Way, and (A1) Carnbane Junction.

Please ensure to allow additional time for your journey.

A1 Dual Carriageway Northbound Closure

A1 Dual Carriageway Northbound Closure from its boundary with Republic of Ireland to Ellisholding Northbound On-slip, commencing on Friday 31 January 2025 at 23:00 to Saturday 01 February 2025 at 06:00 (overnight for 1 night).

This closure is to facilitate cats eyes and road studs replacement work..

The following diversion will be in place:

N1 Junction 20 Northbound off-slip, L7092, Carrickcarnan Roundabout, R132, B113 Dublin Road, A1 Ellisholding Junction Northbound On-slip.

Please ensure to allow additional time for your journey.

The next phase of work will get underway on Monday 6th January adjacent to St. Vincent Street/ Seaview. To carry out the work as safely as possible, city-bound lanes at Seaview will need to be closed. Two-way traffic (one lane in each direction) will be controlled around the working area via temporary traffic lights. The traffic lights will be controlled during peak hours – morning and evening – to maximise traffic progression and will be in operation for approximately three weeks. 

Belfast - Phoenix Energy will be carrying out planned works to their network on the A20 Upper Newtownards Road from Carrowreagh Road (Dundonald) to Hawthornden Way (East Belfast) commencing on Monday 26th August 2024 through to April 2025.

The final phase of works along the Upper Newtownards Road will commence on Monday 6th January at the Stoney Road junction, moving citybound to Hawthornden Way and run for approximately 16 weeks, ending April 2025. Two central lanes will be closed as work takes place, allowing traffic to flow via one lane in a citybound and country bound direction.

For the latest updates on this project please visit https://phoenixenergyni.com/uppernewtownardsroad

A major £2.4m road safety improvement scheme will commence at The Cutts junction Dunmurry on Monday 14 October.

The scheme will provide significant safety improvements for right turning vehicles and pedestrians by widening of the McKinstry Road to accommodate a revised traffic signal layout at the busy McKinstry Road /Derriaghy Road /The Cutts junction.

In order to complete the work safely it will be necessary to implement lane closures throughout the duration of the scheme.

The number of running lanes will also be reduced to one lane of in each direction as the work progresses, particularly in the Belfast bound direction over the initial weeks of the scheme to allow for the carriageway widening.

Derriaghy Road will be closed from mid November for 20 weeks to allow for carriageway widening, slip road construction and culvert works.

Delays to traffic in the vicinity of the works are inevitable and where possible road users should consider an alternative route while the Department completes the works. 

The works are progressing on programme and on the 6th of January they enter Phase 3 and 4 which involves the widening of the citybound side in order to create a permanent layout of two running lanes in each direction and right turn lanes into Knockbracken Health Care Centre and Knockbraken Road. This also includes construction of a retaining wall, utility diversions, new footpath, and enhanced pedestrian facilities. During this period citybound traffic on the Saintfield Road will be reduced to one lane.

In order to do this safety, it will be necessary to close Knockbraken Road for a 5-month period until the final layout is in operation. We appreciate this in a considerable inconvenience to residents but understand the reasons.

A 30mph speed limit remains on the main Saintfield in the vicinity of the works.

Further to below. All cones have now been lifted on the A24 Saintfield Road and the Knockbracken Road has been fully reopened. This will now be in place for the duration of the Christmas and New Year period.

A developer led junction improvement scheme on the A24 Saintfield Road and Knockbracken Road junction will begin on Tuesday 6th August 2024. 

The scheme is expected to last 60 weeks and involves widening the northbound and southbound A24 Saintfield Road carriageway. This will allow for improvements to the signal-controlled junction at the Old Saintfield Road, as well as the signal-controlled junction at the Knockbracken Road.

Fermanagh - Road users are advised that due to a carriageway subsidence, the Carrowkeel Road between Lisbellaw and Tempo, is currently closed to traffic between the Tattymacall Road and the Lough Eyes Road junctions. Early indications are the road will be closed for some time. Please seek an alternative route for your journey.

Durham Street Closure for essential Public Realm works

To facilitate essential public realm works around the new Belfast Grand Central Station, Durham Street (from Grosvenor Road to Hope Street) closed on Saturday 12 October 2024 for a period of up to 12 months.

Translink is encouraging people to consider using public transport to access the city during this next phase of works as road users can expect some delays.

Clearly signed diversionary routes will be in place for motorists that need to travel to the city and everyone is asked to follow these or to find an alternative route or way to travel. 

Castlereagh - the Church Road will be closed for approximately 19 weeks from Monday 30 September between Marlborough Heights and the Henry Jones Memorial Playing Fields from 9:30 to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday each day for the construction of a 465m of new footway and resurfacing of the road.

Church Road Footway Scheme is now expected to be completed by the end of January 2025.

When Church Road is closed, a local diversionary route will be in operation. Access to properties within the extents of the works area will be maintained. 

Access to Lough View Integrated Primary School and Henry Jones Playing Fields will be from the Manse Road end of Church Road.

Road users should allow extra time for their journey and follow the diversionary route, which will be clearly signed on approaches to each road closure.

As the Department continues to monitor the landslide at The A2 Shore Road, Rostrevor, it will continue to operate under a lane closure.  

B15 Glenshesk Road, Ballycastle (between Glenbank Road and Greenan Road) remains closed due to a landslide / partial road collapse on Wednesday 27 March 24.

The road may be closed for the foreseeable future given the severity of the collapse.

Road users should avoid the area and seek an alternative route for their journey.