NEWS

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland, with forecasters cautioning that “periods of heavy rain may lead to travel disruption and some flooding” between 00:00 on Sunday 14 December and 06:00 on Monday 15 December 2025. According to the warning, “outbreaks of rain will affect Northern Ireland Sunday and clear away on Monday morning.” The rain is expected to be “heavy and persistent at times with accumulations of 20–30 mm expected to develop

With Christmas fast approaching, the Consumer Council has published a series of practical travel tips designed to help passengers prepare for smooth and stress-free journeys over the festive season. The organisation is urging travellers across Northern Ireland to plan ahead—whether flying from local airports, sailing, or using public transport—to avoid unnecessary delays at one of the busiest times of the year. Michelle Kelly, Head of Transport Policy at the Consumer Council,

Translink has urged passengers to plan ahead for festive travel as a series of adjusted Christmas and New Year timetables come into effect across Northern Ireland’s bus and rail services. The operator confirmed early finishes on key dates, full service cancellations on Christmas Day, and a range of special holiday timetables affecting NI Railways, Enterprise, Metro/Glider, Ulsterbus, Goldliner and airport express routes. A Translink spokesperson encouraged passengers to prepa

The Met Office has issued both yellow and amber weather warnings for Northern Ireland today (Tuesday 9 December) as Storm Bram sweeps across the region, bringing the potential for widespread disruption. The yellow and amber warnings, which span from 9:00am to 10:00pm on Tuesday, cover the province, with the most severe conditions expected in western and northern areas where the amber warning applies. According to forecasters, “Storm Bram is expected to pass close to western I

Multi-agency preparations are underway across Northern Ireland ahead of Storm Bram, with a Met Office yellow warning in place for strong winds on Tuesday 9 December from 9am to 9pm. Forecasters warn that gusts of 50–60mph are expected widely, with the potential to exceed 70mph in the most exposed western areas. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has activated emergency response measures, as teams continue clearing road gullies, checking drainage systems and placing addit

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland as Storm Bram — officially named by Met Éireann — is forecast to bring severe winds and heavy rain across the UK later on Monday and through Tuesday. The warning is in place from 9:00am to 9:00pm on Tuesday 9 December 2025, with forecasters urging the public to prepare for disruption to travel, power supplies and coastal areas. Storm Bram is expected to track close to western Ireland on Tuesday, generatin

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain  covering all six counties of Northern Ireland this Sunday, 7th December 2025. The warning, which is active between 8:00am and 3:00pm , cautions the public about the likelihood of heavy rainfall leading to some disruption across the region. . Anticipated Impact and Rainfall Totals A band of rain is set to sweep northeast across Northern Ireland during Sunday daytime. The primary concern is the volume of rainfall falling onto

Kilrea Bridge Kilrea Bridge is set to reopen to cars and light vehicles this weekend, as the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) confirms that temporary stabilisation works are nearing completion. The route will reopen at 8am on Saturday 6 December, restoring a vital connection for local residents and businesses in the run-up to Christmas. The bridge, located on the B64 Bann Road, has been closed to allow engineers to carry out essential safety work. DfI has now confirmed tha

Kilrea Bridge UUP councillor Richard Holmes has expressed concern that responsibility for supporting local businesses affected by the closure of Kilrea Bridge is “being passed around like a grenade” among government departments. In late September, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) announced the bridge’s closure due to concerns about the structural stability of a retaining wall on the approach to the structure. DfI has since said it is working with a specialist contrac

A vehicle checkpoint at Shaws Bridge in Belfast at the winter anti drink and drug campaign launch The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued a stark warning to motorists as it launches its winter anti–drink and drug driving campaign, urging drivers to “make good choices” amid rising concern about impaired driving across the region. The annual operation, announced in Belfast today (Tuesday 2 December), will see intensified roadside testing, coordinated cross-bor

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins is pictured with CEO of Gaist Steve Birdsall as she launches a new Road Maintenance Strategy for consultation. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has unveiled a major shift in how Northern Ireland’s road network will be maintained in the years ahead, with technology and data-driven decision-making placed at the centre of a newly published draft Road Maintenance Strategy. The strategy, now open for public consultation, sets out a long-term

Coca-Cola Ireland has launched its 2025 Designated Driver campaign, celebrating an impressive 17 years of encouraging responsible choices and supporting the hospitality sector during the festive period. The initiative, which launched yesterday on 1 December, once again offers two complimentary Coca-Cola soft drinks — including Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Coca-Cola Original Taste — to anyone acting as the designated driver at participating venues across the island of Ireland. The

Translink is encouraging Christmas shoppers across Northern Ireland to take the stress out of festive travel this year by taking full advantage of its extensive Park and Ride network. As thousands head into towns and city centres for shopping, dining and seasonal events, the transport operator says its Park and Ride sites provide a simple, affordable and congestion-free alternative to battling heavy traffic in the run-up to Christmas. Many sites will operate extended timetabl

A large majority of UK motorists want to see alcohol interlocks – also known as ‘alcolocks’ – introduced to crack down on drink-driving, according to new figures from the RAC. The motoring organisation’s latest Report on Motoring found 82% of drivers support fitting alcohol interlocks to prevent repeat drink-driving. Only 7% of respondents opposed the idea, while 12% remained unsure. Alcohol interlocks are already widely used in countries including Belgium, the Netherlands, A

Work taking place on the Glenshesk Road, Ballycastle over the last months following a landslide. (Image: Anne Kelly) Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has confirmed that the Glenshesk Road in Ballycastle will reopen to traffic by 5pm on Monday 1 December, marking a significant milestone after months of disruption caused by severe weather damage. The route, which has been partially closed between Glenbank Road and Greenan Road since last year, suffered a serious embankment f

Ryanair has announced it will add more than 4,900 extra seats to and from Belfast for Christmas week 2025, as the carrier prepares for a surge in festive travel demand. The airline – Europe’s largest by passenger numbers – confirmed on Tuesday (25 November) that it expects to carry over 26,000 passengers through Belfast Airport during the busy holiday period, helping people return home in time to celebrate with their families. The additional seats have been introduced in resp

Police officers across Northern Ireland seized 58 uninsured vehicles in a week-long enforcement operation targeting illegal drivers, as part of the UK-wide Op Drive Insured campaign. The initiative, which ran from 10 to 16 November and is supported by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), aimed to remove uninsured drivers from the roads and highlight the financial and safety risks associated with motoring without appropriate cover. Superintendent Jonathan Wilson said the operatio

Police in Ballymoney have issued a fresh warning to motorists after an uninsured vehicle was taken off the road, leaving both the driver and the owner with a combined 12 penalty points and £410 in fines. Officers from the Ballymoney and Moyle Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) stopped the car earlier today as part of ongoing road safety checks. During the stop, police established that the person behind the wheel had no valid insurance to drive the vehicle — and the owner, who

Pictured at the launch of the new anti-drug driving campaign are (L to R) Judith Andrews, DfI and Chair of the Road Safety Strategic Forum, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins and Chief Inspector Celeste Simpson, PSNI.  Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has unveiled a hard-hitting new advertising campaign after initial roadside testing data revealed that nearly 50% of drivers checked for drugs were positive for cannabis and/or cocaine. The stark figure comes from a 12-month

Two people have died following a serious road traffic collision in Glenavy, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has confirmed. The fatal crash occurred on Saturday, 22nd November, shortly after 6.25pm on the Lurgan Road. Emergency services were called to the scene following reports of a collision involving a grey Skoda Fabia and a grey Cupra Formentor. Chief Inspector Simpson of the PSNI’s Collision Investigation Unit said: “Shortly after 6.25pm, we received a report of a