To ask the Minister for Infrastructure, excluding the establishment of a strategic oversight group, to detail any actions that will be taken to reduce traffic congestion in Belfast city centre before 21 December 2024.

The ongoing work in and around Belfast represents a significant investment, which will ultimately improve and enhance the cityscape, however I fully appreciate that this work is causing delay and frustration for motorists travelling through or to the city centre.

To minimise the impact of traffic congestion in the run up to Christmas, I recently announced a pause of non-essential roadworks on key routes into Belfast, which commenced on Monday 25th November. This has been carefully planned to ensure that only the most urgent works are carried out on the identified arterial routes into the city centre between 25th November and 2nd January.

My Department continues to consider what more can be done to ease congestion at peak times and this work is ongoing. Considerations have included traffic management interventions, real-time monitoring to improve the flow of public transport, and advice to commuters and others coming into the city centre on the alternative transport and travel options available to them. Interventions that have been completed, or which are planned, include: adjustment and optimisation of traffic signals; engagement with PSNI to increase visibility and engagement to improve compliance with yellow box restrictions; P&R service enhancement, signage and messaging; and increased use of TrafficwatchNI X account providing up to date messages to drivers.

Mitigating the congestion issues will need a huge collective approach, with everyone considering how they can play a part to help everyone better share out the limited road space available in a smarter way.