Debate contribution: Storm Impact: A20 Portaferry Road

Debate contribution by Mr Matthew O'Toole on 3 February 2026.

MLA

Mr Matthew O'Toole

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

3 February 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Adjournment

Heading

Storm Impact: A20 Portaferry Road

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5363240

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I am obviously not a representative for the very scenic and wonderful constituency of Strangford, but I know it pretty well. I grew up just across the lough on the Lecale peninsula, and I know the A20 road pretty well. I have engaged with my colleague Councillor Joe Boyle, who works, as other representatives do, on the issues that are caused by disruption on the A20. All the way down the Ards peninsula, at the southern tip, there is reliance, as Mike Nesbitt said, on the A20 to get to school, work, daily activities and other vital appointments, whether they are at the Ulster Hospital or in Belfast city centre or Newtownards. The road is critical. As is often the case, the storm disruption that disrupts the A20 might often disrupt the ferry crossing from Portaferry to Strangford, which puts even more emphasis on planning, preparing and building in resilience for the residents of areas along the A20 from Portaferry up to Kircubbin, Greyabbey and all the way to Newtownards. It is clear that climate change is happening. You just need to go to an area that experiences coastal erosion and is also low-lying and exposed. Storm damage, when it comes, is very likely to disrupt everyday life. People who live along the A20 are in that category. In recent months, storm Bram and storm Chandra have disrupted everyday life for residents in that part of the world. I think that, earlier today, there was a session for elected representatives on weather warnings. I am sure that that brings in the Minister's Department. It is becoming an issue that we all, as public representatives, have to be more aware of and prepared for because, whether it is sharing the infographics on social media or getting a quick response from NIE Networks, Translink, DFI Roads and all the other relevant statutory agencies, it is going to be a more fundamental part of our lives. For those of us who live in areas where everyday infrastructure is almost certain to be disrupted, there needs to be better planning, so it would be helpful to hear from the Minister what structures will be put in place to improve the regularity and consistency of the response. I am sure that the response is very serious and that her Department works very hard at that. However, if, for example, as Michelle McIlveen said earlier, a more focused set of work on coastal communities that are impacted on by storm-related disruption could be put in place or restored, that would be welcome. Mike Nesbitt talked about a five-year plan. Clearly, specific interventions are needed. For example, you have only to drive through Kircubbin to see the fragility of the sea wall there and how vulnerable it is. You do not need to be an expert on coastal erosion, storms or retaining walls, or to be an engineer, to see quite how fragile things are when you drive through Kircubbin. People there and, obviously, further down the peninsula in Portaferry need to know whether there is an investment plan. I do not know what that plan is or what the right interventions would be at different parts of the A20. However, if there is to be one, it would be helpful for the Minister to tell us whether any consideration has gone into making a bid to the multi-year Budget, which I hope is passed, even if it needs change. I might not be hugely supportive of lots that is in it, but we need a multi-year Budget of some kind. It would be helpful to understand what the investment proposals are with regard to the A20. More generally, we need to support rural communities, which are not going to experience huge new dualled roads or get high-speed rail. There is not going to be a new dual carriageway going down the Ards peninsula. I do not think that there should be one. The Ards peninsula is not going to be included in the all-island strategic rail review. No one is expecting that. All that the people of Greyabbey, Kircubbin and Portaferry are asking for is that there be considered and planned investment in that road, which they rely on. As Mike Nesbitt said, if engineers were looking at the road now, it would probably not be built in that location. However, that is where it is, so it needs to be properly planned for and defended and its resilience invested in. I look forward to hearing from the Minister.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

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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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