Plans to improve Northern Ireland’s busiest junction – the York Street Interchange in Belfast – have had to be put on hold following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union.

 

Currently the Interchange links three key strategic routes – the M2, M3 and Westlink – through a complex arrangement of traffic signals, with drivers experiencing significant delays on a daily basis.

 

Transport NI planned to deliver a grade separated junction upgrade to provide direct free flow links between these routes and to free up congestion. But now the procurement process for the scheme has been put on hold over concerns that EU funding for the project – which could have made up 40% of the estimated £165M budget – is at risk.

 

“The strategic importance of the project is clear,” Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard told the Northern Ireland Assembly last week.

 

“But Brexit and its implications for the funding of projects such as the York Street interchange create a substantial hurdle.”

 

Chancellor Philip Hammond has guaranteed that, when organisations bid for European funding while the UK is still a member of the EU, the Treasury will underwrite the payments of any funding awarded.

 

But Chris Hazzard said in a statement that the next EU call for major project bids is expected for early 2018. “As a result the funding stream for this project goes beyond the timeframe set by the Chancellor.”

 

He added: “To clarify the position on procurement of the York Street project specifically, the bidding exercise has now been extended so procurement decisions can be made in line with future funding allocations.”

 

The project went out to tender in spring this year and construction was expected to get under way by late 2017.

 

The Freight Transport Association’s Northern Ireland manager Seamus Leheny commented: “FTA members will be bitterly disappointed if the scheme does not go ahead as planned.

 

“Commercial vehicle operators from right across the country consistently state that the M1, M2, Westlink road corridors are the most problematic and costly for their vehicles to navigate.”