NEWS

Hillhead Road, Ballyclare Monday 2 November 2026 Motorists travelling through Ballyclare are being warned to expect disruption over the coming months as an £875,000 road improvement scheme gets underway today (Monday 2 November) on Hillhead Road. The work will see approximately 1.38 kilometres of the B94 Hillhead Road resurfaced, alongside improvements to kerbs and footways, with traffic restrictions scheduled to remain in place until March 2027. The Department for Infrastruc

Monday 2 November 2026 Ryanair has reported a 15% fall in half-year profits despite carrying almost seven million more passengers, as soaring jet-fuel costs put pressure on the airline’s finances and raise the prospect of higher fares next year. The low-cost carrier recorded a profit after tax of €2.15 billion for the six months to September 2026, down from €2.54 billion during the same period last year. Passenger numbers increased by 6% to 125.8 million, while average fares

Monday 26 October 2026 easyJet passengers will be able to access high-speed internet during flights for the first time from 2027, following a new partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. The airline plans to introduce Wi-Fi across its Airbus A320, A320neo and A321neo aircraft, allowing customers to stream films, browse the internet, play online games and stay in touch while travelling. The rollout is scheduled to begin during the first half of 2027, with installa

Belfast City Centre Monday 26 October 2026 Plans for a major overhaul of transport across Belfast and its surrounding metropolitan area have been unveiled, including a city centre-wide 20mph speed limit, new Glider routes, expanded cycling infrastructure and measures to reduce through-traffic. The proposals form part of the draft Eastern Transport Plan (ETP) 2035, which has been opened for public consultation by Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins. They could change how resid

Monday 26 October 2026 Northern Ireland is facing another spell of potentially disruptive weather, with the Met Office issuing two yellow wind warnings covering Monday evening and much of Tuesday, just days after Storm Boelo brought strong winds across the region. Gusts of up to 65mph are forecast along exposed coasts and over high ground during the first warning, with heavy rain also expected at times. County Antrim is included in both warnings, meaning Ballymena and surroun

Robin Swann MP & Ulster Unionist Party Airport District Electoral Area representative Ryan Kirkpatrick at Belfast International Airport Saturday 24 October 2026 A call to scrap or substantially reduce Air Passenger Duty (APD) on flights leaving Northern Ireland has been made ahead of the upcoming UK Budget, amid concerns that the tax is putting local airports at a competitive disadvantage against Dublin. South Antrim MP Robin Swann has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequ

Sunday 25 October 2026 Motorists are being warned of road closures across Northern Ireland after Storm Boelo brought down trees, blocking major routes and disrupting journeys to Belfast International Airport. Police have highlighted two particularly significant closures, including the Ballyrobin Road near the airport and the Glenshane Road, where fallen trees have made sections impassable. Drivers are being urged to exercise caution, allow additional travelling time and avoid

Saturday 24 October 2026 Northern Ireland is bracing for potentially damaging winds from Storm Boelo this weekend, with gusts reaching 80mph in exposed coastal areas, as the Met Office issues a further weather warning for Tuesday. An amber wind warning covering County Antrim and County Londonderry will be in force from 9pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday, with widespread disruption possible as the strongest winds sweep across the region overnight. The latest forecast indicat

An Amber weather warning has been issued for parts of Northern Ireland as Storm Boelo approaches, with winds potentially reaching 80mph in exposed coastal areas and an increased risk of disruption over the weekend. The Met Office has escalated its warning for parts of Counties Antrim and Londonderry, while a separate Yellow wind warning has been extended to cover all six counties from Saturday morning. The latest forecasts indicate that strong winds will arrive earlier than p

Northern Ireland is bracing for a weekend of severe weather after the Met Office named Storm Boelo, with winds potentially reaching 75mph in exposed areas and disruption possible across all six counties. A Yellow weather warning for wind has been issued for the entire region, taking effect at 6pm on Saturday 24 October and remaining in place until 3pm on Sunday 25 October. The clocks go back one hour overnight, meaning the warning begins in British Summer Time (BST) and ends

MPV leaf busting train Tuesday 20 October 2026 Fallen leaves might seem harmless, but on Northern Ireland’s railway lines they can create conditions similar to black ice, making it harder for trains to brake and accelerate safely. Translink has stepped up its annual autumn maintenance programme, deploying specialist equipment and engineering trains to tackle slippery tracks and reduce the risk of delays and disruption for passengers. The operation includes treating around 30,

Vernon Everitt, Greater Manchester’s Transport Commissioner, with the new buses Monday 19 October 2026 Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus is celebrating a major milestone after its 500th electric bus entered service in Greater Manchester, highlighting the company's growing role in transforming public transport across the UK. The zero-emission vehicle, built at the company's Ballymena factory, travelled across the Irish Sea by ferry before being delivered to Stagecoach's upg

Stena Line carries out fire drill Thursday 15 October 2026 A major emergency exercise has tested how Stena Line and emergency services would respond to a fire breaking out onboard a ferry at sea, with the simulated incident continuing after the vessel reached port. The large-scale operation took place at Stena Line’s 12 Quays Terminal in Birkenhead, bringing together maritime authorities, police, firefighters and ferry personnel to assess their readiness for a potentially ser

Ballymoney Train Station Thursday 15 October 2026 Passengers using Ballymoney Train Station are facing difficulties accessing the station building and toilet facilities, prompting calls for action after local residents complained about arriving to find them closed. Concerns have been raised about the impact on people travelling to work, education and medical appointments, particularly parents with young children who may need access to toilets while waiting for trains. Ulster

Leyland Road roundabout in Ballycastle Wednesday 14 October 2026 Motorists travelling through Ballycastle are being advised to plan ahead as a £238,000 road resurfacing scheme gets under way next week, bringing daytime closures and diversions around Leyland Road Roundabout. The Department for Infrastructure has confirmed that work will begin on Monday 19 October, with road closures operating daily from 9am to 4.45pm until Thursday 29 October. The scheme will cover approximate

North Coast Community Transport minibus Monday 12 October 2026 Community transport services supporting elderly and disabled people across Northern Ireland are to benefit from £1million in government funding to replace ageing minibuses, helping passengers maintain their independence and access essential services. Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins confirmed the investment on Monday (12 October), with each of Northern Ireland’s 13 community transport providers set to receive f

Staff at Ballymena Station are celebrating after winning a Gold SPIRIT of Translink Facility Award 2026. Celebrating the Gold Award at Ballymena Bus Station are (L-R): Enda Sheridan (Translink), Christopher Allen (Translink), Anna Green (Live Here Love Here) Thursday 08 October 2026 Ballymena’s bus and railway stations have both earned Gold recognition in the 2026 SPIRIT of Translink Facility Awards, celebrating the work of staff to maintain safe, environmentally responsible

Sozopol old town on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria Thursday 08 October 2026 Northern Ireland holidaymakers can now book their summer 2028 getaways, with Jet2 launching flights and holidays to 21 destinations from Belfast International Airport – including a brand-new direct route to Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. The airline and tour operator has released more than 618,000 seats for summer 2028, with up to 56 departing flights each week during peak periods, giving families and c

Krakow, Poland, Main Market square in the winter season, during Christmas fairs decorated with Christmas tree. Sunday 04 October 2026 Northern Ireland travellers can now book Christmas market flights from Belfast International Airport to Krakow and Vienna for the 2027 festive season. Jet2 has released almost 6,000 seats across the two routes for Winter 2027/28, with both destinations served twice a week in the run-up to Christmas. Two festive destinations Flights to Krakow an

Tuesday 29 September 2026 Travellers heading to Belfast International Airport are being urged to allow extra journey time as an £816,000 resurfacing scheme brings overnight closures to one of its approach roads. Work has started on approximately two kilometres of the A57 Ballyrobin Road at Killead, between the A26 Killead Roundabout and the Airport Roundabout. The affected stretch links the A26 with the airport, forming part of the approach for traffic coming through Templepa