Belfast road traffic congestion crisis: Stormont Committee for Infrastructure fails to detail any actions after extreme Christmas problems

And John Anderson, of the Ulster Architectural Heritage society, has told the News Letter that Stormont MLAs and committees “appear to prefer to have their heads firmly buried in the sand rather than be seen to be taking any action” on the wider issues.

Yesterday Health Minister Mike Nesbitt was grilled by the health committee about waiting times in emergency departments.

However, there is no suggestion that the committee for infrastructure has any interest in quizzing Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Minister John O'Dowd about extreme Belfast traffic.

On December 10 the News Letter asked the chair and deputy chair of the committee for infrastructure, Deborah Erskine (DUP) and John Stewart (UUP), whether DfI’s planning is making Belfast congestion worse.

Ms Erskine replied: “Whilst we all wish to see more people utilising public transport, we also must be realistic regarding the limitations of the network as a viable option for so many people across Northern Ireland.”

Congestion impacts on commuters or shoppers, carers, emergency services and access to healthcare, she added.

“The Department for Infrastructure needs to get real and do more to alleviate congestion, rather than facilitate it.”

On December 18 and 19 the News Letter asked her if the committee would discuss congestion and whether it would ask Mr O'Dowd to appear for questioning. However there was no response.

Yesterday the News Letter asked the DUP, Sinn Fein, UUP, SDLP and Alliance if their committee members would be using their powers to address Belfast congestion.

Only SDLP member Mark H Durkan responded.

However, he did not suggest any plans to intervene.

“The recent traffic chaos in Belfast was due to a number of factors, but it was disappointing to see the minister dragged kicking and screaming into action instead of working with his department and other stakeholders to address the issues,” he said.

(Mr Durkan said the minister's interim actions had been to allow taxis to use bus lanes and to suspend road works in seven locations in the city.)

He said the SDLP was clear about the impact gridlock was having on Christmas business and the frustration of many in traffic jams.

“I hope that the minister has learned lessons from the situation before Christmas and that we will not see a return to these traffic issues in the new year,” he added.

Mr Anderson said the recent closure of the Boyne Bridge at Sandy Row by Translink in “blatant” breach of DfI planning conditions, is “a major factor in causing the traffic mayhem in Belfast city centre”.

On December 15 the News Letter reported road traffic expert Wesley Johnston giving his view that DfI knows full well that its remodelling of Belfast traffic is only making traffic congestion worse – but that it is determined that as many people as possible will ditch their cars for public transport.

Neither the DFI nor Translink contested his claims.