Don't panic, says NI agency
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NORTHERN IRELAND'S Roads Service is trying to alleviate operators' fears that they face three years of disruption when improvements to the Belfast Westlink begin later this year.
At a recent seminar for over 100 operators, the government body outlined plans to reduce congestion and minimise the impact of the scheme. These include: signing alternative routes; restricting roadworks on other routes into the city: and introducing a temporary park-and-ride service to reduce commuter traffic in the region.
Tom Wilson, Northern Ireland policy manager for the Freight Transport Association, explains: "The idea of the seminar was to get operators to think ahead about the delays that they face and to work with customers to change their delivery schedules so they are not crossing the route at peak times.
"This is the main route up from Dublin and down from Lame," he adds. "When it is complete there will be three lanes in both directions and the traffic will be able to flow freely — but in the meantime we will have to endure three years of pain."
Andy Kidd. general manager of McNeilly Haulage in Carrickfergus, says: "This is going to be an absolute nightmare and will affect everybody as it's the main route into Belfast."