Traffic Lights Restored at Belfast’s Shaftesbury Square

The traffic signals at Shaftesbury Square, located in Belfast city centre, experienced a malfunction, remaining non-operational for several hours during Monday’s morning rush. Engineers subsequently addressed and rectified the issue. The Department for Infrastructure had previously indicated that this particular fault was anticipated to cause problems. Belfast has been experiencing significant traffic congestion in recent weeks, leading to extended delays for both motorists and bus passengers on routes in the vicinity of Shaftesbury Square. This situation has been worsened by two substantial road infrastructure initiatives: the ongoing resurfacing of the Sydenham bypass and the redevelopment project surrounding Grand Central Station. The city’s new public transport hub, which commenced operations last month following an investment of £340 million, is still undergoing street upgrades in its immediate vicinity. Additionally, Durham Street, a nearby thoroughfare, has been closed to facilitate the dismantling of the Boyne Bridge. This closure is currently in effect and is projected to continue for a year. Since the conclusion of September, the Sydenham bypass has been subject to temporary closures, both overnight and for entire weekends, as part of a £3.8 million resurfacing project. Last month, the infrastructure minister conceded that both projects had contributed to traffic problems, and he encouraged motorists to opt for public transport. However, on two successive evenings earlier this month, Translink issued warnings of delays exceeding 35 minutes on certain Belfast bus routes, attributing these to significant traffic volumes.