NEWS

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

Passengers travelling between Belfast and Dublin on Enterprise rail services are being warned to expect delays and bus transfers for three days after engineering works forced the closure of part of the line south of the border. The rail line between Dundalk and Dublin will close from Saturday 30 May until Monday 1 June inclusive, with replacement buses operating for affected sections of the journey. The disruption is expected to affect passengers travelling between Northern I

Firefighters remain at the scene of an ongoing vehicle fire in the Glenwhirry area outside Ballymena on Friday afternoon after emergency services were called to the incident shortly before 2.40pm. Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) confirmed crews were tasked to Douglas Road, Glenwhirry, at 2.37pm on Friday 22 May 2026, with multiple appliances dispatched to tackle the blaze. The incident prompted a significant emergency response in the rural Ballymena area, wit

Police are deploying extra officers to beaches, parks and town centres across Northern Ireland this bank holiday weekend as warm weather is expected to bring a major surge in visitors to coastal hotspots and tourist areas. The PSNI said additional patrols will be visible across the North Coast, North Down and South Down over the sunny holiday weekend, with officers focusing on anti-social behaviour, alcohol-related disorder, dangerous driving and public safety. The move comes

Ballymena Park & Ride facility Motorists and public transport passengers in Ballymena are being warned to expect disruption throughout the summer as major works linked to the expansion of the town’s Park & Ride facility get underway. Translink has confirmed that essential road and junction improvements at Galgorm Road and Waveney Road will begin on Monday 1 June and continue until the end of August 2026 as part of the Ballymena Park & Ride expansion project. While roads will

Chief Superintendent Kelly Moore and Rhonda Geary, Royal Ulster Agricultural Society. Thousands of visitors are expected to descend on the Eikon Exhibition Centre this week as the Balmoral Show returns for four days of farming, food, business and family entertainment — with the PSNI warning motorists to expect delays and plan ahead. Running from Wednesday 13 May to Saturday 16 May 2026, the annual event is one of the biggest fixtures in Northern Ireland’s rural calendar, draw

A motorcyclist remains in a serious condition in hospital following a collision involving a van on one of Ballymena’s busiest commuter routes on Saturday afternoon. Police have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage after the serious road traffic collision on the Lisnevenagh Road near the junction with Woodgreen Road. The crash happened at around 12.20pm on Saturday, 9 May, on the north-bound carriageway of the road. Emergency services, including officers from the Police

Brothers and keen farmers, Adam and Matthew, join Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) operations director, Rhonda Geary as they count down to this year's show and encourage visitors to travel by bus or train, with convenient, reliable and hassle-free services available throughout the event. Northern Ireland’s biggest celebration of farming, food and rural life is set to return next week, with thousands expected to descend on the Eikon Exhibition Centre for the 2026 Balm

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

PSNI Chief Superintendent Mark Roberts, NW 200’s Mervyn White and PSNI Constable from Roads Policing. Police are urging road users travelling to and from this year’s North West 200 to prioritise safety, as tens of thousands of visitors prepare to descend on the North Coast for Northern Ireland’s largest sporting event. With race week scheduled to run from 4th to 9th May, officers have warned that increased traffic, changing road conditions, and heightened excitement around th

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

A region-wide enforcement operation targeting the transport of hazardous materials on Northern Ireland’s roads is set to begin next month, with inspectors warning that failures in safety compliance could put lives, property and the environment at serious risk. The joint campaign, led by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) alongside other enforcement agencies, will run from Tuesday 5 May to Friday 22 May 2026 and will involve a coordinated programme of

A 12-year-old child has been left with serious injuries after being knocked down by a car in Lisburn on Monday afternoon, prompting a police appeal for dashcam footage from anyone who may have witnessed the incident. The collision happened on Prince William Road at around 3.15pm on April 20 and involved a black Honda Civic. Child taken to hospital with serious injuries Emergency services attended the scene following the incident, where the child sustained injuries described a

A BMW and Seat Leon seized by police Police have seized two vehicles and reported three drivers for court after a series of road policing incidents yesterday, including one motorist clocked at more than 135mph on the A26 dual carriageway. Officers from Road Policing Interceptors based in Sprucefield carried out the enforcement activity on Friday evening, 17 April, targeting uninsured driving and dangerous speeds. Two uninsured drivers stopped and vehicles seized During patrol

Police have warned that enforcement action will be taken where necessary as new online calls for protests across Northern Ireland this weekend and into next week prompt preparations for a fresh policing operation. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed it is actively planning its response amid concerns over potential disruption to key transport routes and public services, particularly where demonstrations involve vehicles. Police preparing response to renewed

Seven Towers Roundabout, Ballymena Police have confirmed they are preparing a response to planned protests across Ballymena this evening, with multiple key roundabouts identified as potential flashpoints amid rising discontent over fuel costs. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it is aware of calls circulating online for coordinated action from 5:00pm on Friday, 17 April, as demonstrators threaten to “shut down the town” in protest at soaring prices linked to escala

Hundreds of drivers were caught committing road traffic offences across Northern Ireland during the Easter holiday weekend, with police recording 667 speed detections, 43 drink or drug driving arrests, and dozens of motorists driving uninsured or distracted behind the wheel. The figures, released as provisional statistics by the PSNI as of 14 April, relate to offences detected between Friday morning, 3 April, and midnight on Monday, 6 April, during the force’s Easter road saf

Motorists across Northern Ireland faced widespread disruption on Tuesday after a series of protests involving slow-moving vehicles affected several of the region’s key transport routes, with police issuing Fixed Penalty Notices and public order cautions during a coordinated response operation. The protests took place on Tuesday 14 April, impacting major arterial roads including the Sydenham Bypass, Westlink, M2, A1, A4 and A5, while the A6 at Toome was also blocked for a peri

Monday in the House of Commons, North Antrim MP Jim Allister challenged the Prime Minister on announcing a cut to fuel duty to relieve pressure on drivers, farmers and businesses across the UK Motorists, farmers and businesses across Northern Ireland facing soaring fuel costs were given no immediate promise of tax relief on Monday after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Government’s main focus remains reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing global supply pressures. T

Police have said they are actively monitoring online calls for coordinated protests across Northern Ireland next week amid growing anger over rising fuel costs linked to the escalating US/Israel–Iran war in the Middle East. The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed on Saturday, 11 April 2026, that an operational response has already been prepared if required ahead of the planned demonstrations on Tuesday, 14 April. The warning comes after a series of social media posts