NEWS

Motorists using one of Northern Ireland’s busiest commuter routes are being warned to expect delays, diversions and overnight closures later this month as a £1.5 million resurfacing project gets underway on the M2. The major road improvement scheme will affect the northbound carriageway between Junction 4 at Sandyknowes and Junction 5 at Templepatrick, with work scheduled to run from Friday 17 July until Monday 27 July. Thousands of drivers travelling between Belfast, Ballyme

New drivers across Northern Ireland will face a major overhaul of the licensing system from October after MLAs approved legislation paving the way for Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL). The Assembly on Tuesday, 23 June approved Regulations confirming that the new road safety scheme will come into force on 1 October 2026, marking the most significant reform of driver licensing and testing in almost 70 years. Designed to reduce the disproportionate number of fatal and serious ro

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service faced an intense night of emergency callouts on Tuesday as crews responded to dozens of incidents linked to escalating disorder across the Greater Belfast area, with additional appliances drafted in from across Northern Ireland to cope with demand. In an operational update issued shortly after midnight, NIFRS revealed its Regional Control Centre handled 256 calls between 7pm and midnight alone, resulting in attendance at 62 separate inci

Northern Ireland has moved a step closer to introducing major new bus safety laws after more than 600 responses were submitted to a consultation aimed at protecting children travelling to and from school. The Safer Journeys to School consultation — which explored new restrictions on overtaking and passing buses — closed yesterday after receiving 601 responses from the public and stakeholders. The proposals, brought forward by Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, could eventua

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew, and Mid Ulster SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone. The PSNI could soon be handed stronger powers to seize illegally used e-scooters without first issuing a warning under a proposed amendment tabled at Stormont by North Antrim MLA Paul Frew and Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone. The move comes amid growing concern over the reckless use of e-scooters on roads and pavements across Northern Ireland, with politicians, police, doctors and vulnerable pedestrians all w

Minister Liz Kimmins is pictured with some of the DFI’s road crews who have made 10,000 repairs to the road network over the last eight weeks. Road crews across Northern Ireland have completed 10,000 repairs in just eight weeks, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has revealed, as efforts intensify to tackle widespread road damage following severe winter weather. The scale of the work comes after what the Minister described as “well documented” deterioration across the road n

Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins at a press conference in Police Headquarters A devastating weekend on Northern Ireland’s roads has left five people dead in the space of just 24 hours, pushing this year’s total fatalities to 29—more than double the figure recorded at the same stage in 2025. The stark rise has prompted an urgent joint appeal from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, who w

Public transport fares across Northern Ireland will remain unchanged for a second consecutive year, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has confirmed, in a move aimed at easing pressure on households already grappling with rising fuel and living costs. The decision means passengers using Translink’s bus and rail services will see no increase in ticket prices, despite what the Minister described as significant financial pressures facing both the transport operator and the wid

A major resurfacing scheme is set to take place this summer on one of Ballymena’s busiest approach roads, with work planned on the main route from Galgorm into the town. The resurfacing will cover the stretch from the double roundabout at Tullyglass to the Grange Road junction, a key artery used daily by local residents, commuters and businesses travelling in and out of Ballymena. The planned works were confirmed in a statement issued by TUV councillors Stewart McDonald and M

The poster placed at two roadside junctions in Ballycastle, and inset, TUV MP Jim Allister and Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan Political placards which had become the focus of local concern in Ballycastle have been removed following intervention by the Department for Infrastructure, prompting a fresh political row over standards for public displays in the town. The signs, located at the junction of Mary Street and Cushendall Road, were taken down after North Antrim MP Jim Allis

Drivers in Northern Ireland could soon be banned from overtaking stopped buses — and may even be required to slow dramatically or stop — under new proposals aimed at protecting children during one of the most dangerous moments of their school journey. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has launched a public consultation exploring sweeping changes to how motorists behave when passengers, particularly schoolchildren, are getting on or off buses. The proposals come in response

Tens of thousands of road openings carried out by utility companies each year are contributing to the deterioration of Northern Ireland’s road network, Stormont’s Public Accounts Committee has warned — raising concerns that taxpayers may be footing the bill. In a critical report, MLAs said the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) cannot currently determine how much of the growing maintenance burden is linked to utility reinstatements, nor confirm that companies are covering t

Kintra ferry crossing the Rathlin Sound. (Image: Shauna Fannin) A new summer ferry timetable for Rathlin Island has been confirmed — with extra early weekend sailings designed to support workers and boost the island’s busy tourism season. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced the updated schedule will run from Friday 3 April to Wednesday 30 September 2026, introducing an additional return crossing every Saturday and Sunday morning. The new sailings will depart Rathlin

Safety concerns raised by local residents have prompted action at a rural junction in north Antrim, with confirmation that improvements are now on the way. North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed a response from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), outlining planned measures to improve visibility and safety at the junction of Glenleslie Road and Moneyduff Road, Clough. The move follows representations made by Mr Frew after constituents highlighted ongoing worries about th

Recent flooding in the Antrim area. (Pic: Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM) A stark admission from Stormont has laid bare failings in the initial response to January’s flooding in Antrim, with South Antrim MP Robin Swann warning that residents were left vulnerable as unsuitable equipment struggled to keep pace with rising waters. In a letter responding to his concerns, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins confirmed that early efforts to tackle flooding in the Riverside area were i

A new recruitment campaign offering careers maintaining Northern Ireland’s road network has been launched, with opportunities ranging from industrial roadworker roles to trainee civil engineering posts. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced the two competitions, which aim to strengthen the workforce responsible for keeping the region’s roads safe, maintained and operating efficiently. The campaign is seeking applicants for Industrial Road Worker positions across North

(L-R): Dr Darren Mornin Principal of Limavady High School, Cian Canning Head Boy, St Mary's High School Limavady, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, Harry Kealey, Head Boy, Limavady High School and Sean Mullan Principal of St Mary's High School. One of the biggest changes to driver licensing in Northern Ireland in almost 70 years is set to reshape how young people learn to drive — with new rules aimed at tackling the high number of serious road collisions involving new driv

Minister Kimmins is pictured with Sarah Schaefer, ESG Director and John McLeister, Managing Director of Sales for the UK and Ireland The push to decarbonise Northern Ireland’s transport network took centre stage in Ballymena this week as Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins visited Wrightbus to see first-hand how the sector is shaping the journey to net zero. Touring the factory floor, the Minister met staff and viewed progress on zero-emission bus technology that is already

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has announced an additional £2.5million investment in essential roads maintenance this financial year, reinforcing her commitment to tackling the toll recent severe weather has taken on Northern Ireland’s road network. Since December, Minister Kimmins has overseen more than £40million in roads funding, including a £30million December Monitoring Allocation supporting 40 resurfacing schemes and a £7.85million Winter Recovery Road Fund targeti

Alderman Stewart McDonald welcomes the confirmation of resurfacing works on Sand Road, Galgorm Resurfacing works on Sand Road, Galgorm are expected to commence soon after confirmation from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), with short-term disruption anticipated while the improvement scheme is carried out. TUV Alderman Stewart McDonald welcomed the update, describing the long-awaited road maintenance as necessary and beneficial for the area. “I welcome confirmation fro