Belfast councillor describes Stormont cycling infrastructure policy as 'a joke'

By Michael Kenwood, Local Democracy Reporter

At a recent Belfast City Council committee meeting at City Hall, councillors from the Alliance Party and the Green Party criticised the Stormont Department for Infrastructure during an item about Stormont responses to council correspondence.

Alliance Councillor Mickey Murray said at the City Growth and Regeneration Committee: "There is quite a lot going to DfI but not a lot coming back from DfI, especially with cycling network plans. As a major stakeholder/deliverer of cycling infrastructure, we are doing our bit in terms of cycling enabling infrastructure.

"But the information DfI is coming back with on their plan is a bit of a joke. The information just isn't adequate."

He called, with cross-party support, for a workshop on cycling at City Hall with the Stormont department present to talk about the delivery of cycling infrastructure.

Green Councillor Anthony Flynn said: "With £700,000 they have delivered 2.8 kilometres in the last two years. And on another project £245,000 on an active travel funding upgrade.

"I am exasperated with that, to be honest. We had the Belfast Cycling Network Delivery Plan two years ago - there was an 11 million budget, and again we are left with little to no delivery, which is incredibly frustrating.

"When we have that round table with DfI I will want more information on the lack of delivery. They say in the letter response there are various reasons - but I want to know what the various reasons are.

"We are talking about a landowner here - they cannot come back and tell us there are issues of ownership. Where are the roadblocks? What are the roadblocks? And if they cannot do it, devolve bloody powers to us and we will do it.

"We are talking about an active travel spend per capita in Northern Ireland of £7.2, while in Scotland it is £20 per head. We are a significant outlier in the United Kingdom.

"DfI is the department that should be coming up with results when it comes to active travel spend per head, and they are not doing it. 2.8 kilometres in the last two years - ridiculous.

"We need answers from them, because there is an underspend here also. And most of the budget was spent on the signalling upgrade. So, where are the cycling lanes?"

The committee agreed for council officers to write to the Stormont department requesting a meeting at an all-party group meeting, away from the public and press.

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