Debate contribution: Storm Impact: A20 Portaferry Road

Debate contribution by Mr Harry Harvey on 3 February 2026.

MLA

Mr Harry Harvey

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

3 February 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Adjournment

Heading

Storm Impact: A20 Portaferry Road

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5363236

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I sure was.

First, I thank my constituency colleague for securing this evening's Adjournment debate. The Portaferry Road has been brought to the attention of the House on many occasions in relation to road safety concerns, but, unfortunately, to little avail. Like many of my constituents on the Ards peninsula, I feel that the Department is all too often tone deaf when it comes to the dangers that are presented by the Portaferry Road. In this instance, the danger is due to the impact of adverse weather on the road, as has been highlighted in the debate. Setting aside ongoing concerns about speed and general poor road maintenance, the impact of recent storms, during and after those weather events, has shown the vulnerability of that key transport corridor to the natural elements. Most recently, storm Chandra closed the road when water pooling and debris made it impassable. All too often, that is the case. Just before Christmas, storm Bram also closed the road, with significant flooding, particularly in the vicinity of the sailing club. Dozens of cars had to be abandoned due to floodwaters, and a bus full of schoolchildren was left stranded. Motorists affected on that occasion reported the water being as deep as 2 to 3 feet in places, with the coastguard and other agencies having to attend the scene. It is acutely evident that strategic investment is required to ensure that the Portaferry Road can withstand more readily coastal waves and spray. We all acknowledge that a low-lying coastal route such as that will never be totally storm-risk free. However, we should not be in a position in which that transport corridor, which serves the entire Ards peninsula, is so poorly equipped to combat storm weather that it closes every time that we have bad weather. On the occasions when closure is necessary, an improved or upgraded diversion route should be available that can withstand the volume of vehicular traffic that is usually found on the A20. During adverse weather, diverting traffic along narrow, rural roads that motorists are unfamiliar with is another disaster waiting to happen. DFI should consider that issue as part of its contingency planning for any future A20 closures. Road drainage is an area that I call on DFI to consider in respect of flooding along the Portaferry Road. I am not an engineer, but surely we can consider options that limit the impact of tidal surges, such as better drainage. Better drainage is necessary along sections of the coastal wall, and other areas are in desperate need of reinforcement for the benefit of road safety and the protection of infrastructure. In recent years, the prevalence of winter storms has undoubtedly increased. Their impacts are taking a toll on the Ards coastline, with erosion and the destabilisation of infrastructure, such as the A20 Portaferry Road. A road as vital to the community as the A20 should not fail at the first sign of a storm. I join other Members in calling on the Department to urgently consider what can be done to ensure that that key transport corridor in my constituency can become more resilient during adverse weather events.

526 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not qualifying

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:31 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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