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Research Matters

A blog from the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service
Northern Ireland Assembly logo
Research Matters
Northern Ireland Assembly logo
Research Matters

Infrastructure Blog Archive

Here you will find an archive of Infrastructure Blog articles published before 1 May 2022, divided into their relevant categories.

Energy

Image of wind farm in front of a setting sun

Is the sun setting on Northern Ireland renewable electricity?

There was considerable growth in the development of renewable electricity over the previous Northern Ireland Assembly mandate. Changes to renewable electricity support may impact the ability to achieve similar levels…

Infrastructure

An image showing the clearing of the snow on Donegall Square North, Belfast [Image: Dean Molyneaux under Creative Commons 2.0)

Grit Expectations: How and when are our roads and footpaths salted during the winter season?

By Des McKibbin & Keara McKay As temperatures plummetted towards the end of November 2017, forecasters began to predict the coldest December in seven years. Meteorologists are suggesting winter…
The border on Killeen School Road, near Newry (Image: Oliver Dixon, under Creative Commons)

Is road safety worse in the border region?

Death and serious injury from road traffic collisions (RTCs) are tragic events bringing untold pain and suffering on families. At the same time, through better understanding of what causes…
Artist’s Impression of Belfast’s proposed ‘Transport Hub’ which has already received EU TEN-T funding during the planning phase and would have been eligible to compete for money as it moved into the capital phase.

How can the Department for Infrastructure fund delivery of its infrastructure pipeline?

Northern Ireland’s infrastructure development was neglected for decades. There are now plans in place to rectify this but how this will be funded remains uncertain….

Transport

Aerial view of the newly constructed A8; officially opened in December 2015 this dualling scheme cost £133m

Is Northern Ireland’s transport infrastructure sufficient to support growth and competitiveness?

As the Northern Ireland (NI) Executive seeks to grow the local economy during the forthcoming mandate, the quality and capacity of NI’s transport infrastructure will be a major factor….
A cyclist making use of one of Belfast City Centre’s cycle lanes passes one of the Belfast Bikes scheme docking stations

What does the future hold for cycling policy in Northern Ireland?

Cycling is one of our most popular leisure pursuits but can it move from being a hobby to an everyday transport mode and, importantly, replace car journeys? Large groups…

Water

Mullygarry, Fermanagh; after thirty-five consecutive days of rain in 2009, the water levels on Lough Erne rose to 158ft above sea level, the highest since records began in 1956 (image Dean Molyneaux, under Creative Commons).

Managing Flood risk in Northern Ireland: Are we prepared?

Prolonged heavy rainfall over the winter of 2015 has shown how devastating flooding can be to homes, businesses and critical infrastructure. With predictions that localised flooding will become an…