A “temporary” safety barrier is to remain in place for now in Belfast city centre more than two years after it was erected, despite repeated calls for urgent action on removing the “eyesore”.
The barrier at Castle Place appeared in early 2023 after an 89-year-old woman fell off the edge of the kerb, suffering facial injuries and losing two teeth.
A lack of visible kerbstone edge between the pavement and a cycle lane led to the lady, Alice Rooney, misjudging her step and falling.
The cycle lane had been installed in 2021 as part of an experimental traffic control scheme.
Visibility concerns relating to the pavement had previously been raised with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in December 2022 by Alliance Party councillor Michael Long.
He has since urged the department to resolve the issue a number of times in correspondence, and was told in December that details of design options for the problem pavement could be available by the end of last month.
However, he said he has since not received an update on plans.
Despite being a safety barrier, a city centre business organisation warned it was posing a risk to pedestrians and cyclists after collapsing a number of times, including due to high winds during Storm Ashley last October.
Martina Connolly, of the Belfast One Business Improvement District (BID), spoke of the frustration among traders that the barrier remains in such a prominent part of the city centre.
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“Belfast One BID and the private sector businesses that have heavily invested millions in this area are deeply disappointed by the lack of response from the DfI regarding the barrier,” she said.
“This barrier has now been in place for over two years and despite repeated requests for an update, there has been no resolution.”
She said Belfast One BID has proposed temporary solutions to improve the appearance of the area while a permanent solution is being discussed.
“However, we have received no correspondence or update on this either,” Ms Connolly added.
“Given the significant private sector investment in the area, it is unacceptable that we have reached this stage without action. We urge the Department to progress this matter and resolve this issue as soon as possible.”
Mr Long told The Irish News there was a “lack of urgency” by the DfI over the matter.
“Whenever the barrier was erected as a temporary measure, we expected a solution within a few weeks or months,” he said.
“Finally they said they might have a solution proposed by the end of January, but I still haven’t heard anything.
“It’s not a good look for the DfI whenever one of the main streets in the centre of the biggest city in Northern Ireland has this eyesore in the middle of it for so long - it’s time it was removed.”
A DfI spokesperson said: “We are currently progressing plans to enable a permanent cycle lane to be installed at this location and will be engaging with key stakeholders to discuss design proposals.”
They added: “In the meantime, in the interests of safety, the barrier will remain in place.”
