'We have written to the Minister to seek an urgent meeting to discuss bringing back the six-week moratorium on city centre roadworks and the Sydenham Bypass'

Hospitality Ulster and Retail NI have jointly called for the return of a pre-Christmas moratorium on roadworks in Belfast city centre and the Sydenham Bypass.

This call comes amidst further traffic congestion in the city centre causing major disruption on Thursday evening.

The two groups have stated that the return of a previously observed pre-Christmas six-week moratorium on the performance of roadworks on arterial routes in the city centre is urgently needed. Otherwise, they have warned, city centre hospitality and retail businesses may suffer economically during what is traditionally their busiest time of year due to lower footfall caused by traffic congestion.

Both organisations have written to the Department for Infrastructure to seek a meeting with Minister for Infrastructure John O’Dowd MLA to discuss the possibility of the return of the moratorium.

While stating that the groups are in favour of modal shift and the work being done to establish an integrated transport hub in Belfast, they stressed the need to pause roadworks until after the Christmas period to allow the city centre to reap the economic benefits of the season.

Colin Neill, chief executive, Hospitality Ulster and Glyn Roberts, chief executive, Retail NI, said: “We have written to the Minister to seek an urgent meeting to discuss bringing back the six-week moratorium on city centre roadworks and the Sydenham Bypass. For weeks now we have seen bad traffic congestion in the city centre associated with the roadworks, but as seen yesterday, one accident can turn bad congestion into a complete standstill.

“Hospitality Ulster and Retail NI have always urged consumers to make public transport their first option, rather than their last and are supportive of the building of an integrated transport hub in Belfast and of the associated modal shift that goes along with that.

“However right now we are suffering from a worst of both worlds where even public transport is being badly disrupted. If traffic and public transport congestion continues as is and worsens the closer we get to Christmas, people simply won’t come to the city centre.

“The building of Grand Central Station, the associated roadworks and upgrade to the Sydenham Bypass are all much needed and once completed will mark significant progress for Belfast.

"We are simply asking for a pause on those works until after Christmas to ensure that progress in one aspect of Belfast city life does not lead to severe damage for another, the retail and hospitality businesses that are the heartbeat of the city.”