Belfast Roadworks Hindered by Staff Shortages, Council Informed

Belfast’s road improvement projects are experiencing delays in completion due to a scarcity of roadworkers, with almost one-third of positions unfilled, the city council has learned. Representatives from the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) informed a Belfast City Council committee that staffing difficulties represent their primary obstacle, necessitating the prioritization of critical maintenance. This situation coincides with ongoing substantial traffic congestion throughout Belfast. Several city roads have been shut down for upkeep, and the inauguration of the new Grand Central Station has further exacerbated traffic problems. During a meeting of the council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, Des McFarlane, the DfI’s roads eastern division manager, informed councillors that considerable staffing challenges were impeding the department’s capacity to “deliver all elements” of its responsibilities. He stated that the department “continues to prioritise essential front-line services,” with an initial capital allocation of £89 million directed towards structural maintenance, including “high-priority road resurfacing and drainage works.” Nevertheless, budgetary limitations compel the department to “prioritise essential services,” leading to a “limited service policy such for routine maintenance such as road defects and grass cutting,” Mr McFarlane further explained. Councillors received information indicating that the roads division presently has 40 professional technical positions open, representing an approximate vacancy rate of 29%. This percentage is even greater within the “tech grade,” a category that encompasses road inspectors. The department’s industrial workforce faces an overall vacancy rate of approximately 32%, while consultants—responsible for designing, delivering, and overseeing resurfacing projects—experience a 33% vacancy rate. “We can mitigate to some extent by redeploying staff to safety critical posts, but unfortunately in these circumstances we don’t have staff always available to attend external meetings, as we would have done in the past,” Mr McFarlane stated. He pointed out that these issues are occurring while the department is under additional strain. Beyond their regular duties, division personnel are providing guidance on projects such as the Eastern Transport Plan, the Belfast Rapid Transport plan and sustainable travel. Regarding the construction of Belfast Grand Central Station, the division is offering counsel on design and temporary traffic management, particularly concerning the ongoing closure of Durham Street. “I am telling you this so you can fully appreciate the pressures that our staff are under, and why we are not always able to respond as quickly, either by phone or in correspondence, because we are under immense pressure at a time when we have such a high vacancy rate,” Mr McFarlane concluded.