Dickson Promotes East Antrim Transport Connectivity Improvement

East Antrim Alliance MLA, Stewart Dickson, has received a positive response from the Department for Infrastructure to a question he posed regarding improvements to transport connectivity in East Antrim.

Mr Dickson explained that he was prompted to ask a question due to the regional imbalance of current services that impact on how communities connect.

Mr Dickson said: “The response I received from the department was that they are currently developing a new suite of transport plans, with the first in line for completion, being the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan. It is my understanding that this plan will prioritise future investment to ensure improvements for our transport networks, including road, rail, and bus.

“As the Alliance party highlighted in our Green New Deal, green recovery in our infrastructure sector will be paramount and this should be reflected in the public transport choices of Northern Irish people.

“From what I have heard from the Minister for Infrastructure, I am heartened that her priorities seem to align closely with those contained within the Green New Deal.”

Throughout the pandemic Translink has maintained bus services and are now planning a number of service enhancements for July and September.

Specifically for East Antrim, the Larne to Belfast 256 Express is returning to a full timetable, and the Ballyclare to Belfast Urby services are returning at 20 minutes’ peak and hourly off peak. Rural connections from Ballymena to local villages are being improved, and the Antrim Town Service to the Antrim Hospital is increasing in frequency. In the longer term, Translink is also planning improved connections to the hospital.

Additional rural transport services are delivered by Rural Community Transport Partnerships which the Department for Infrastructure resources through the Rural Transport Fund.

Mr Dickson concluded by commenting that: “Northern Ireland’s transport networks play a valuable role in connecting people, some of whom are the most vulnerable in our society, to opportunities including accessing essential local services. As such, I am glad to be able to share these improvements with my constituents in East Antrim.”