Other News In Brief

Minister For Infrastructure Welcomes New Trooperslane Park And Ride

Minister for Infrastructure, John O'Dowd, has welcomed the completion of the new Park and Ride site at Trooperslane, near Carrickfergus, joining Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conway to officially open the site.

Located adjacent to Trooperslane Train Station, the new facility boasts 212 car parking spaces, CCTV coverage and SMART lighting alongside secure cycle storage to enhance passenger security and convenience. It will provide much needed additional Park and Ride capacity on this section of the Larne rail line, helping to meet current and future demand and playing a role in reducing congestion and air pollution on this major transport corridor. The site has also been future-proofed to allow the easy provision and installation of electric vehicle charging points to help progress Zero Emission ambitions.

Minister O'Dowd said: "It is important that we make public transport as accessible as possible and providing park and ride facilities is a vital part of that. Previously at this location parking was limited and that was a barrier to passengers wishing to use the Trooperslane halt. With these additional 212 spaces and enhanced cycle facilities I hope that many more people in the surrounding areas will be able to make greater use of the railway service.

"We know there are too many cars on our roads and this leads to congestion, longer journey times and increased car emissions. Using public transport can help to provide a stress free commute, remove some of the traffic from our roads and improve air quality. Even just switching some journeys each week from the car to the bus or train can make a difference so I would encourage people to consider that.

"This is one of a number of new Park and Ride sites which will be delivered across the north. Other facilities are being progressed at Cairnshill, Downpatrick, Comber, Newtownards, Moira, Tillysburn and Dungiven. When completed they will provide over 3000 additional spaces and give more people the chance to use the public transport network."

Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conway said: "I am proud that this new Park and Ride site at Trooperslane – a facility much anticipated by the local community – has been delivered. It will have a major positive impact for passengers in the wider Carrickfergus area and will help to make travel by train a more attractive option for more people in the locality."

"Trooperslane is an accessible, convenient and safe Park and Ride, helping to boost passenger numbers and lowering the risk of traffic congestion on the main route into and out of Belfast and helping to improve connections for employment, education and enjoyment."

"The ongoing development of Park and Ride facilities across Northern Ireland is a key part of Translink's focus in encouraging more people to make use of bus and train services in their daily routine, and helps to drive a shift towards active, sustainable modes of travel, reducing dependence on the private car and moving towards a cleaner, greener future where public transport acts as everyone's first choice for travel, today, for tomorrow."

Dept Of Health Extend Urgent And Emergency Care Consultation

The Department for Health has announced that the deadline for the consultation on the future of Urgent and Emergency Care in Northern Ireland has been extended to 1 July 2022.

Encouraging people to have their say, Health Minister Robin Swann said: "Urgent and emergency care services belong to us all and this is a chance to shape and improve those services to ensure they are fit to meet all of our needs now and into the future.

"The mantra of urgent and emergency care reform is about seeing the right person, in the right place, first time. I urge everyone to consider and respond to the proposals set out in this important consultation."

The changes outlined in the consultation report highlight the plans to protect access to emergency care, whilst providing alternative services/pathways for urgent but not life threatening conditions. These changes will have implications for the public and it is therefore important that people understand what is being outlined in the consultation.

To support the public respond to the consultation, the Patient and Client Council (PCC) has established a new dedicated telephone line that will allow people to answer the consultation questions over the phone with a member of PCC staff. The line will be available Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm. The telephone number is: 02895 368542.

A series of virtual events have also been taking place to support participation in the consultation process, the final of which will take place on Wednesday 8 June from 2pm – 3.30pm. Both British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreting will be available at the event. People can also respond by completing an online questionnaire, emailing DoH or through the post.

SDLP Calls For Health Outcomes Improvement Strategy

The SDLP has called for a strategy to address health outcomes in Belfast.

Councillor Paul McCusker was speaking after a report from Belfast Healthy Cities showed Belfast had the worst health outcomes when compared with the rest of the North.

The report found life expectancies for men and women were also lower in Belfast.

Councillor McCusker said: "The findings of this report show an urgent need to address the health outcomes of people living in Belfast compared with the rest of the North. It's completely unacceptable that people here on average live two to three years less than those elsewhere.

"Despite often greater access to healthcare than other parts of the North, people here on average seem to be in poorer health and we need to address why that is. In some cases it's because of lifestyle choices like drinking or smoking and obesity, but it can also be due to a failure to engage with healthcare services regularly throughout their life.

"These issues are much more prevalent in north and west Belfast than other parts of our city. Every day I see the poverty that people are dealing with, parents struggling to feed their families and keep a roof above their heads and this also contributes to poor physical and mental health due to the stresses these people are under and the choices they are forced to make to survive.

"In the coming months and years we need to see a drive to ensure that everyone is able to access the healthcare they need as and when required and has the means to do so. We must also work to tackle the underlying societal problems in our city if we want to give everyone the chance to live as long and healthy a life as possible."