Lurgan traffic jam fury as hourly Enterprise departures mean almost twice as many trains come through town's level crossings

There are two level crossings in the County Armagh town, one on Lake Street and the other on main road and commercial heart William Street.

Translink's cross-border Enterprise line to Dublin runs through both crossings, as do regular train services between Belfast and Portadown.

But with the Enterprise leaping from 54 journeys each way per week to 98, many people in Lurgan fear that they'll frequently wind up trapped in tailbacks – especially on busy William Street, where drivers would be backed up watching trains zoom through the centre of town.

Translink officials say they've got their timing down and will only need to lower level crossing barriers for three minutes per hour for the Enterprise.

But many people in Lurgan have taken to social media to voice their frustrations at the prospect of sitting in traffic behind the gates of the level crossings.

Several people complained that, once down, the barriers stay in place for long periods to allow several trains to pass, while others stated that emergency services struggle to navigate the crossings.

“It’s the only big town in Ireland where a railway crossing cuts off the main arterial route into and out of it,” stated one resident.

“They can remove an entire bridge in Belfast brick by brick, but they can’t create an underpass or bridge in Lurgan. It’s ridiculous.”

Another was concerned about the health impacts of fumes from the predicted tailbacks, while one town centre trader complained that business owners weren’t consulted about the changes.

Lurgan DUP councillor Peter Haire feels the new train timetable needs time to bed in, pointing out that it has only been running for around a week.

“I do think we need to give it time,” he said. “I appreciate there's some frustration, but it's a matter of getting used to the new arrangements.

“The level crossings have always been a problem in Lurgan, that's really the issue. There is some increase in the number of trains, but there has never been a time when there wasn't some inconvenience.

“We need to allow a little time to see if this is working OK.”

If the new arrangements prove to be too much trouble for the town, he added, then he expects Translink would be open to negotiation.

“We'd just need to get them into the room and talk,” Mr Haire said. “They're usually very open and available.

“In fact, I'm due to meet them soon, and I'll be sure to mention these issues to them.”

Mr Haire also pointed out that Translink is due to spend a substantial amount of money revamping Lurgan’s train station, which he hopes will be a boost to the town.

"Portadown has just been done, Lurgan’s next in line,” he said.

Translink also pointed to the coming train station revamp as a benefit, a spokesperson indicating that construction could begin in 2027.

The spokesperson added that the increased Enterprise service will ‘greatly enhance connectivity between two largest cities on the Island’.

It would, the company said, bring many benefits for business, retail and tourism, while helping tackle the climate emergency and providing an all-island economic boost.