To ask the Minister for Infrastructure, given the scale of new housing developments, what further options are being looked at to improve public transport along the Newtownbreda-Carryduff corridor.

In order to accommodate any additional Park and Ride demand on the Saintfield Road corridor, my officials are currently in the process of acquiring land from the Department of Health to provide an additional 350 parking spaces at the Cairnshill site.

My Department will also be bringing forward the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan which will consider the wider public transport availability and provision on this corridor in the context of future development proposals. As part of this study, further discussion and assessment will be undertaken to examine Public Transport on the Newtownbreda – Carryduff corridor.

Translink recognise that they need to review this provision against the expected growth in demand from the new developments. They have started the process of planning their service offering and will update local political representatives and the community as this progresses.