To ask the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on the York Street Interchange scheme.

Mr O'Dowd

Major road schemes are an important part of the work that is delivered by my Department as it seeks to reduce journey times, increase reliability and improve road safety. In October 2022, I published a report on the placemaking and active travel review (PATR) of the scheme and asked my officials to carry out further work on three scenarios that were recommended in it. The work to prepare a placemaking and active travel development report has now been completed. Due to underinvestment in major road schemes and the constrained budget position, the scheme was considered as part of the prioritisation of major schemes, and further works were paused as part of the outworking of that review. I met officials on 9 October 2024 to review the report, which allows me to consider the way forward for the scheme. Any subsequent decision to proceed with the York Street interchange project can only be made when I am confident that there is budget certainty for the scheme and that its delivery is in line with my Department's emerging transport plans.

Mr O'Dowd

I accept that the status quo is far from ideal. We need to make a significant investment in the York Street area and move forward with a project that benefits not only commuters who travel through the area but those who live in and do business in the area. That was the reason for the placemaking report. I am studying how to move forward on a number of major road projects, and I keep coming back to the question of how to finance them. That is the part of the equation that is missing. The Budget statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer might shed some light on options for the Executive, but, until new options are available to me, I am very restricted in what further projects I can deliver.

Mr O'Toole

Clearly, there are big projects that need to happen. I will touch on two projects that are happening — the maintenance at the Sydenham bypass and Belfast Grand Central Station — and on all the disruption associated with them. I support both those things happening — I am clearly a huge supporter of Grand Central — but there is a risk of the entire city grinding to a halt. What are you doing, Minister, to ensure that the best possible information gets to people who use public transport? I tried to get on a bus the other day, near my constituency office in Botanic Avenue. The display at the bus stop said that no buses were running, but a bus showed up 10 minutes later. We need to get proper information to commuters who are in the city or coming into the city. What are you doing to minimise disruption?

Mr O'Dowd

I remind Members that I provided them with a written ministerial statement as early as, I think, April or May, which outlined the challenges that Belfast would face as a result of the works that would have to be carried out as part of the public realm works for Belfast Grand Central Station. Members have been briefed on this since that time. What am I doing? We are bringing forward measures to allow taxis into the bus lanes, which will free up some commuter travel in the area.

I have asked my officials to engage with Belfast City Council directly to see what measures we can take jointly to inform citizens and promote Belfast. I have also asked them to respond to a request from Retail NI and Hospitality Ulster for a further extension to the moratorium on roadworks around Christmas. I have asked my officials to see whether we can do that. If it is an option, let us do it to support traders. We are in danger of sending out a message that Belfast is closed for business. It is not. Belfast is extremely busy, which is great. My responsibility is to get commuters in and out of the city in an effective and efficient manner. The investment that we are making in the Sydenham bypass will do that; the investment that we are making in Belfast Grand Central Station will do that; and other measures, including the eastern transport plan, which is an all-encompassing plan around Belfast, will do that.