Boyne Bridge traffic congestion: MLA questions what is taking so long for transport minister John O'Dowd to make decision on taxi plan

Deborah Erskine questioned why it is taking so long to reach a decision on whether or not to let taxis use the city's bus lanes.

The move is touted as a way of freeing up space for private cars in the city centre, which is currently in the grip of congestion – something blamed in large part on the shutting of the Boyne Bridge in October.

Just before that bridge was cut off to traffic, transport minister John O'Dowd had said he would announce a pilot of his taxi plan “in the near future” to help ease “disruption” to the city’s road network.

Two months later this hasn't happened, and Mr O'Dowd told MLAs this week it won't happen until sometime after Christmas.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Mrs Erskine chairs the infrastructure committee, tasked with scrutinsing road-and-rail policy in the Province.

She said: "On October 11 the minister announced this pilot scheme that would permit Class A and Class C taxis to use certain bus lanes in Belfast city centre whilst roadworks associated with the Grand Central Station are carried out.

"The headline on the statement trumpeted that the pilot would 'help ease traffic and support the taxi industry'.

"Two months on and the only thing moving more slowly than traffic in Belfast city centre is progress on this pilot.

"Not only is the legislation to enable it not in place but a consultation on that legislation hasn’t even commenced.

"We shouldn’t pretend that allowing some taxis to use bus lanes would be the solution to traffic problems facing Belfast.

"However, neither should the minister pretend that there’s nothing he could have done.

"His own statement points out that there was an awareness of the potential for traffic problems back in October, yet we still don’t even have a date for the launch of the consultation process, never mind the legislation or the actual pilot scheme itself.

"No-one expects the minister to have a magic wand at his disposal.

"But alongside the failure to communicate properly with the business sector and the Strategic Oversight Group moving from daily to weekly meetings, it starts to look like there is a lack of will to even attempt to tackle the traffic issues facing people in Belfast.”

Earlier this week, umbrella organisation the Licensed Taxi Operators Association (LTOA) called for the minister to act of the taxi lane pilot as soon as possible, saying “the city needs help now”.

On Monday, minister O’Dowd was asked about the taxi scheme in the Assembly, and replied: “Will it be for Christmas? No. The consultation that I have do means that the legislation permitting taxis to use bus lanes will not be in place for Christmas.

"It will be after Christmas, and it will be a pilot scheme.”

The department told the News Letter: “To launch the taxis in bus lanes pilot scheme, a change in legislation is required. This means the normal legislative process must be followed, including a consultation period.

"Further details on the pilot scheme will be announced soon. We will carefully consider all views received during the consultation period.”