Last month, the Belfast Diary noted how the introduction of traffic calming measures outside Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium had been delayed due to the Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) “limited staff resources being redirected to urgent and priority work”.
Now a local MLA has asked DfI Minister Liz Kimmins if she had considered using planters as an alternative means of traffic calming.
In response, Ms Kimmins said planters would not be a suitable standalone method of tackling the problem without additional supporting measures.
“The initial cost of purchasing and ongoing maintenance costs would be prohibitive, and they may have [the] potential to attract anti-social behaviour,” Ms Kimmins added.
Now, there are many causes of anti-social behaviour in Belfast — it is unclear if plants are high up on that list.
There’s hum-thing odd in north of city
The worldwide phenomenon that is a mysterious humming noise plaguing communities has struck north Belfast.
Since Christmas, residents have been complaining about a loud humming noise going on around the clock, disrupting sleep and being a general nuisance. It is unclear what the origin of the noise is at this stage, with some putting it down to building site generators.
Known as ‘the hum’, this phenomenon has been reported around the globe in recent years, and even has a dedicated online database where those affected can log areas affected.
Belfast has several entries, while the BBC even made a film about ‘The Omagh Hum’ last year. The truth is out there.
Water total fiasco
The delayed maternity hospital at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
Adequate healthcare, clean water and shelter are three things we all rely on, and it seems Belfast isn’t doing great in that regard.
Firstly, amid the delayed Belfast maternity hospital saga, in recent days it was announced the long-awaited new children’s hospital in the city was getting the go-ahead.
It was first announced in 2013, supposed to cost £223m and meant to open in 2020. Now it is estimated to cost £671m and expected to open in 2030.
Looking at water, a much-needed upgrade of the Kinnegar Wastewater Treatment Works just outside Belfast was endorsed by the Executive in November 2021 and was due to take place as part of the Living With Water Belfast Plan, which was to take 12 years to implement at a cost of £1.4bn.
Now that price has jumped to £2.1bn and it has been admitted the original timescale is “no longer achievable”. NI Water said recently the Kinnegar upgrade has been paused.
What about shelter? Let’s hope we don’t find ourselves in the midst of a housing crisis. Oh, wait…