There has been much furore recently over the lack of progress when it comes to delivering the £100m Belfast Cycling Network, which is due to be completed in 2031.
The network is supposed to span around 180km over dozens of individual schemes, but to date there is little actual sign of cycle lanes springing up across the city, while so far less than £4m has been spent on the project.
There was some applause then when Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced a £600k “pedestrian and cycling improvement scheme” in the Lagmore area of west Belfast.
It will include “segregated cycle tracks along Lagmore Avenue between the junction of Stewartstown Road and Glenfearna Park.”
However, a quick look at a map will show the distance from Stewartstown Road to Glenfearna Park along Lagmore Avenue is only 0.4 miles long — less than a kilometre.
At this pace, there isn’t much chance of the 180km scheme being delivered this century, let alone by 2031.
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Meanwhile, Belfast City Council (BCC) is set to fork out £12,500 for an event in New York to promote the city as an investment location.
The catchily titled ‘New York – New Belfast’ event will take place on June 12 and, according to council briefing documents, more than 150 delegates are expected to attend.
For 2025, the programme will “include an enhanced focus on Belfast’s indigenous entrepreneurial strengths”. This is an annual event, but it is unclear how much investment we have previously received from the Big Apple as a result of it.
Councillors are to be asked to agree to fork out £5,000 to sponsor the event and for the Lord Mayor and some council officers to fly over “at a cost not to exceed £7,500”.
FIDO falls foul with local representative
Dog fouling is a persist issue
Elsewhere, it seems the council’s use of technology to remove dog mess from our streets has fallen foul with one local representative.
BCC has a FIDO dog fouling removal vehicle — which looks like a golf cart with a massive hoover attached — in each quarter of the city.
Recently Sinn Fein Councillor Claire Canavan called for a review of their use following reports that rather than reports of dog fouling decreasing since the introduction of the FIDO vehicles, they’ve actually gone up.
Apparently the FIDO vehicles, referred to as ‘poovers’ by some, are frequently breaking down. That wasn’t an issue with the Pooper Scooper.
Too late to the party
Finally, in the Commons on Wednesday SDLP leader Claire Hanna invited Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Belfast in 2027 for the Fleadh — the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture. Sir Keir might be a bit underwhelmed if he were to touch down in Belfast in 2027, however, as the Fleadh is being held here in 2026.