AQO 1144/22-27 Oral question to the Minister for Infrastructure
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure when the findings of the feasibility study into extending the North-South Glider route to Glengormley and Carryduff will be published.
Asked by Nuala McAllister MLA on 7 November 2024
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 7 November 2024
- Answer due by
- 18 November 2024
- Answered
- 18 November 202411 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Infrastructure
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 18 November 2024. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Mr O'Dowd
The estimated cost of the north Belfast to south Belfast Glider route is in the range of £142 million to £148 million. Although £35 million of funding has been secured through the Belfast region city deal, a considerable shortfall of some £110 million remains. Work on the feasibility of extending the route to Glengormley and Carryduff has been finalised, and I commissioned work on the delivery options that could be implemented utilising the £35 million funding envelope from the city deal. The outline business case is being finalised in line with the feasibility reports and delivery options. When my officials have concluded that work, I will be in a position to make a decision. As the Member will know, my Department has been operating in what has been a difficult financial period for the past number of years, but we plan to make progress using the city deal funding that is available to us.
Miss McAllister
I thank the Minister for his answer. Although I appreciate that there are budget constraints, North Belfast is often left behind when it comes to work done to encourage sustainable travel, such as cycling infrastructure and greenways. What can the Minister do in the immediate term to assure people in my constituency that this is not yet another area on which they will have to wait years for work to get started?
Mr O'Dowd
I say to the Member that I commit to being hopeful that I will be able to make an announcement in the next number of weeks. Although I would much prefer to undertake the £140 million-odd scheme, I can make significant input into improving public transport options for people in Belfast, north and south, by investing the £35 million, or slightly more than that, in the time ahead. I therefore plan to move ahead, make an announcement and commence works to improve public transport options for people in north and south Belfast.
Mr O'Toole
Minister, will you be clear about the announcement that you have said that you will make in the coming weeks? Will you proceed with the Glider route or with additional bus routes? Like North Belfast, South Belfast, particularly along the corridor up the Saintfield Road towards Carryduff, is very congested, and air quality and congestion get worse as one goes down that road. Will the announcement be about an increase in bus routes or about the Glider route being delivered?
Mr O'Dowd
It will hopefully be a mixture. Significant investment is involved in providing the infrastructure needed for Glider routes, such as road widening and improvement and bus stop infrastructure. I will make a definitive statement in the next number of weeks.