NEWS

More than £30 million in additional funding has been allocated to improve roads across Northern Ireland, with £4 million specifically targeted at the rural road network, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has announced. The new funding package, secured through the December Monitoring process, will support an expanded programme of road improvement works aimed at addressing longstanding maintenance challenges and improving safety for road users across both urban and rural area

Translink has today (17 December 2025) published a landmark report detailing feasibility studies for four transformative rail projects, offering fresh hope for improved connectivity across Northern Ireland. The document, Shaping the Future: A Rail Network for Northern Ireland , builds on the All-Island Strategic Rail Review and highlights schemes that could reconnect long-isolated communities, slash journey times, and support the shift to sustainable travel. For many resident

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

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

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

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

South Antrim MP Robin Swann South Antrim MP Robin Swann has urged Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins MLA to confirm when the long-awaited feasibility study on reopening the Antrim–Lisburn railway line — widely known as the Knockmore Line — will finally be released to the public. Mr Swann, who has championed the restoration of the line since first being elected to Westminster, said the continued lack of clarity around publication was causing frustration among residents and st

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has assured the public that Northern Ireland’s winter service teams are fully prepared as the first significant cold spell of the season approaches. A Met Office yellow weather warning is in place from midnight tonight until 12pm tomorrow, with forecasters predicting wintry showers, icy patches, and the possibility of lying snow on higher ground. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) confirmed that extensive preparations have been complet

DUP North Antrim MLA Paul Frew, and Councillor Reuben Glover at the junction of Dans Road and Galgorm Road DUP MLA Paul Frew has urged authorities to act swiftly to address what he describes as the “much higher than would be expected” number of road traffic accidents on a key stretch of the Galgorm Road in Ballymena. Mr Frew and Alderman Reuben Glover have been approached by numerous concerned residents regarding safety issues on the section between Cambridge Avenue and the D

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew Welcomes the reinstatement of street lights in Thornbrooke in Ahoghill North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew has welcomed the reinstatement of several street lighting posts in the Thornbrooke estate, Ahoghill, following concerns raised by local residents about safety and security. Mr Frew said he was pleased to see the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) take swift action after he raised the issue directly on behalf of those living in the estate. He st

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew on Galgorm Road, Ballymena, near Cambridge House Grammar School North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed confirmation from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) that a pedestrian crossing near Cambridge House Grammar School on Ballymena’s Galgorm Road will be considered in future traffic management works. Mr Frew said the development follows years of concerns raised by local residents about safety on the busy road, particularly for schoolchildren

Kilrea Bridge The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has announced interim measures that could see Kilrea Bridge reopen to cars and light vehicles before Christmas — offering a glimmer of relief to residents and traders after weeks of disruption. In a statement issued this today, the Department said it had been “working closely” with a specialist contractor since their appointment last week to explore every opportunity to “reduce the timescale and minimise disruption” for t

Kilrea Bridge The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has confirmed that repair works on Kilrea Bridge are due to begin on Monday 10 November, following weeks of disruption since the bridge was closed on 20 September over structural safety concerns. The bridge, which carries the B64 Bann Road over the River Bann, was shut in both directions after an inspection identified extensive cracking on a retaining wall at the south-west end of the structure. A DfI spokesperson said: “

Kilrea Bridge, and (inset) North Antrim MP Jim Allister North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC has challenged the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to commit to building a new bridge across the River Bann at Kilrea, following the closure of the 242-year-old structure due to serious structural defects. Kilrea Bridge, which provides a vital connection between Counties Antrim and Londonderry, was recently closed after inspectors found vertical and diagonal cracking on a retaining wal

Councillor Alan Barr during a site visit to Carnlough Road, Broughshane, where there are community concerns over the speed of vehicles. Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr has called for urgent action to address serious road safety concerns on the Carnlough Road, Broughshane, following repeated complaints from residents about speeding vehicles and unsafe conditions for pedestrians. The stretch of road, located just outside the 30mph zone, currently carries a 60mph spee

The Rathlin Ferry. (Image: Nicole McGinn) The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has announced its intention to increase fares on the ferry services to Rathlin Island and across Strangford Lough, with a statutory 30-day notice period to commence on today, Monday 27 October 2025. Background & Context Rathlin Island is Northern Ireland’s only inhabited offshore island and falls under the wider Rathlin Island Policy, a Northern Ireland Executive policy aimed at ensuring “conti

Alliance East Antrim MLA Danny Donnelly on the Antrim coast Alliance East Antrim MLA Danny Donnelly has welcomed confirmation that long-awaited action will finally be taken to replace the dangerous and rusted railings along the Coast Road in Larne. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has confirmed that an external contractor has been instructed to assess seven sections of railings identified as being in a poor and unsafe condition, and to begin the process of replacing th

The delivery of the “highest priority resurfacing projects, roadside stability, and drainage projects” in the Northern Division, including Mid & East Antrim, will be carried out by DfI Roads from a £68 million budget which “falls significantly short of funding requirements” , divisional roads manager Alan Keys has said. Presenting the Northern Division’s annual report, Mr Keys addressed members of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committe

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew during a visit to Thornbrooke in Ahoghill North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew has renewed his call for the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to urgently address the ongoing removal of street lighting across the North Antrim area, warning that the lack of illumination poses serious safety and security risks as the darker winter months approach. Mr Frew said he has been engaging with residents in several affected communities and visiting areas where