NEWS

Motorists travelling through Belfast are being warned to allow extra time over the next three weekends as major maintenance work on the M3 Lagan Bridge brings slip-road closures, lane restrictions and lengthy diversions. The first restrictions begin at 9pm tomorrow, Friday 14 August, and remain in place until 6am on Monday 17 August, with drivers heading from the Sydenham Bypass towards the Westlink, north Belfast and west Belfast among those affected. Further weekend closure

A yellow weather warning is in force across Northern Ireland today as forecasters warn that intense thunderstorms could bring torrential downpours, lightning, hail and gusty winds. The Met Office warning covers all six counties and is in place from 11am today, Thursday 13 August, until 6am on Friday. While many places could escape the worst of the weather altogether, thunderstorms that do develop could produce 10–20mm of rain in less than an hour, with a chance of isolated lo

The success of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann has strengthened plans for more pedestrianisation in Belfast city centre, with Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins confirming that proposals will go before the public within weeks. More than 1.6 million visits were recorded across the eight-day festival, when a number of city centre streets were closed to traffic to accommodate crowds, performances and events. The temporary arrangements have intensified the debate over how Belfast’

The crowded streets of Belfast city centre during the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann The success of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann has become a “tipping point” for the debate over greater pedestrianisation in Belfast city centre, a councillor has claimed, amid growing calls for some of the temporary traffic restrictions to lead to permanent change. Belfast Green Party Councillor Brian Smyth says the “bottom line” is that the Fleadh “would not have worked without pedestrianisation in th

A motorcyclist remains in a critical condition in hospital following a single-vehicle collision in Lisnaskea on Friday evening. Police are appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage following the collision, which involved a black Suzuki motorcycle in the Lisnaskea Road area shortly after 9pm on Friday, 7 August. Rider remains critically ill Inspector Brian St Ledger said: “A report was received at approximately 9.05pm on Friday evening, 7th August of a collision in the Lisn

Thousands of musicians, dancers and visitors are converging on Belfast today as the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann reaches a major weekend of competition — with people being urged to leave the car outside the city centre and use dedicated Park & Ride services. Around 5,000 musicians and dancers from 22 countries are taking part in competitions across Belfast on Saturday 8 August, adding to what has already been an exceptionally busy week in the city. Competition judging begins at

The scene of the collision in Co Antrim where emergency responders feared the worst upon arrival A driver escaped without life-changing injuries after being thrown through the sunroof of a car during a violent crash on a narrow rural road in Co Antrim. Police described the outcome as a “miracle” after officers from Ballymoney and Moyle arrived to find the badly damaged vehicle in a field, with clothing and personal belongings scattered around the scene. The single-vehicle col

More than one million passenger journeys have been made across Northern Ireland’s public transport network during the first five days of the Fleadh, as Translink prepares for another surge in demand for the festival’s final weekend in Belfast. The operator says the figure represents around 275,000 additional passenger journeys compared with the equivalent period last year, highlighting the extraordinary impact of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann on bus and rail travel. With the fest

Wednesday, 5 August 2026 Motorists across North Antrim are being urged to plan ahead this weekend, with extensive road closures in place as the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally returns to the area. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued travel advice ahead of the two-day event, warning that road users should expect delays on Friday 7 August and Saturday 8 August as rally stages take place across Mid and East Antrim. While diversions will be in operation, drivers ar

Tuesday, 4 August 2026 More than 2,100 motorists were caught speeding across Northern Ireland in just five days, with some drivers detected travelling at twice and even three times the legal speed limit, prompting the PSNI to renew its warning that dangerous driving is continuing to cost lives. Operation Lifesaver, which ran from 27 July to 31 July, resulted in 2,132 speeding detections, while police also recorded 308 additional traffic offences, including careless driving, u

The Met Office has brought forward the start time of its yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland after heavy rain arrived earlier than first forecast. The updated warning is now in force from 9.15am until 9pm on Tuesday, 4 August 2026, with forecasters warning that heavy showers and thunderstorms could cause disruption to transport and outdoor events. Warning updated as rain moves east The Met Office said the warning was revised after a band of heavy rain developed across

E-scooters and e-bikes seized by police over the weekend around Lurgan and Craigavon Monday, August 3, 2026 The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has reminded officers of their existing powers to seize uninsured e-scooters as concerns continue to grow about the increasing use of the vehicles on roads and footpaths across Northern Ireland. The clarification comes after an internal police document, intended for officer use only, highlighted the legal powers available wh

A vehicle seized by police for no insurance in the Henry Street area of Ballymena Motorists across Ballymena have been reminded to drive safely after police launch a series of road safety enforcement activities across the district as part of Operation Lifesaver. Officers from the PSNI’s D Section were on patrol throughout the weekend, carrying out vehicle checkpoints, roadside breath tests, speed checks and inspections of vehicle condition as part of the ongoing initiative to

People across Northern Ireland are advised to expect potentially disruptive weather after the Met Office issued a yellow thunderstorm warning covering the entire region for Tuesday. The warning comes into effect from 12 noon until 9pm on Tuesday, August 4, with forecasters warning that slow-moving heavy showers and thunderstorms could cause disruption to travel and outdoor activities. Heavy rain and thunderstorms expected According to the Met Office, showers will begin develo

45-year-old Damien Paul Bintley A 45-year-old man from Holywood has died following a road traffic collision involving a car and a lorry in Co Tyrone. The collision happened on the Crossowen Road, Clogher, at approximately 12.40pm on Friday, 31 July. Police said the crash involved a white MG HS car and a Volvo lorry. Emergency services, including the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, attended the scene and medical treatment was provided to a number of people. The driver of t

Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died The family of a young County Down man who died in a motorcycle crash a decade ago have issued a heartfelt appeal to all road users, urging them to remember that “every person deserves to get home safely.” Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died on 31 July 2016 after the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a single-vehicle collision on Belfast Road in Newtownards. No other vehicle was involved. Marking the 10th anniversary of his death, J

Grove Road, Ballymena Drivers in Ballymena are being warned to expect up to eight weeks of disruption as a £627,000 resurfacing scheme gets under way on Grove Road next month. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has confirmed that resurfacing work on the C109 Grove Roadwill begin on Monday 10 August, with the project expected to continue until Wednesday 7 October, subject to weather conditions. What road is affected? The £627,000 investment will see 2.17 kilometres of Gro

Motorists in the Larne area are being warned to expect significant disruption from next week as a major £854,000 road resurfacing project gets underway, bringing a continuous five-week closure to part of the B99 Waterfall Road and Watch Hill Road. The Department for Infrastructure scheme will resurface almost 3km of road between the Ballyrickard Road/Waterfall Road junction and the New Line junction, with work due to begin on Monday 3 August. Five-week closure planned To allo

Police officers conducting an enforcement operation as part of “all-out” Day of Action across South Area district in Northern Ireland. Police have launched an intensive road safety crackdown across the PSNI’s South Area today (Tuesday 28 July) after almost half of Northern Ireland’s road deaths this year occurred within the region. A total of 42 people have died on roads across Northern Ireland so far in 2026, with 19 of those fatalities recorded in South Area, prompting offi

Pictured: Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins Northern Ireland’s roads are set to receive longer-lasting repairs under a new maintenance strategy that promises to improve quality, make better use of technology and target investment where it is needed most. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins unveiled the new Road Maintenance Strategy on Monday, outlining a new approach aimed at improving the condition of the region’s 26,000-kilometre road network despite continuing financial