Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Curran and McNamee.

            No declarations were reported.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 7th February, it had agreed to hold a special meeting to receive a presentation from representatives of the Roads Service in respect of its Annual Spring Progress Report.  It was reported that Mr. R. Spiers, Deputy Divisional Roads Manager, Mr. B. O’Neill and Mr. G. McKibbin, Section Engineers, together with Mr. C. de Burca, Director of Transport Projects, were in attendance and they were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman (Councillor L. Patterson).

            Mr. Spiers highlighted the work which had been completed during the previous year and he outlined the principal aspects of the Roads Service’s Programme of Works for the forthcoming year.  He indicated that the winter of 2012/2013 had been particularly severe and prolonged and that, during the period, there had been ninety-seven call outs to provide salting treatment to the roads network within the Eastern Division.  The total winter service expenditure by the Division had been £1.480m.  Mr. Spiers acknowledged formally the assistance which the Roads Service had received from the Council with regard to snow clearance and the maintenance of the accessibility of the roads network.  He informed the Committee that the Roads Service was currently planning to align itself to the future shape of the new council boundaries. 

            Mr. de Burca reported that the bus lane at Wellington Place/Donegall Square North/Donegall Square East, which was due to be completed by midnight on 30th May, was the final stage of the current phase of the Belfast on the Move scheme. 

            Mr. Spiers provided an update on the programme of works in relation to the York Street Interchange Scheme, the A2 Sydenham Bypass Improvement Scheme, the A55 Knock Road Widening Scheme, together with an update on bus measures, the maintenance of structures, including culverts and bridges, pedestrian measures, network traffic and street lighting and carriageway resurfacing. 

            During discussion, the Members drew the attention of the officers from the Roads Service to several matters, a number of which are set out hereunder:

·         the possibility of providing barriers for the protection of pedestrians along the narrow section of footpath on the Ormeau Road in the vicinity of Annadale Avenue;

·         the problems which residents had been experiencing with the ongoing difficulties with regards to parking in the River Terrace, Lower Ormeau and the Holylands, Rugby Road areas;

·         the current traffic arrangements around the City Hall and the difficulties which had been experienced by drivers exiting the building;

·         the perceived inadequacy of communication between the Department of Regional Development and the Council in relation to changes in Roads Service provision and network issues;

·         a range of concerns were expressed in relation to the Belfast on the Move Scheme, viz., the use by buses of ordinary traffic lanes; the double-parking by buses; the purpose of the conversion of normal traffic lanes into bus-only lanes, for example, in relation to the Donegall Square East exit onto Adelaide Street; and the expenditure associated with the project;

·         the possibility  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.