Straight answers to practical questions about driving, travelling, parking and getting around Northern Ireland.
Camlough is reached from the southern Newry area rather than by driving straight into the city’s retail centre.
No.
The A1 is the principal north–south corridor joining the Hillsborough, Dromore, Banbridge and Newry areas.
From Belfast, the M1 is the main motorway approach towards Lisburn and the A1 corridor for Newry.
The A7 is the main road corridor commonly used from Belfast towards Downpatrick.
The A24 is the recognised Belfast-to-Newcastle road corridor, running south through places such as Carryduff and Ballynahinch.
The A24 Saintfield Road is the principal signed road towards Carryduff from Belfast.
The A55 Outer Ring links suburbs around Belfast without requiring every journey to pass through the retail city centre.
The M3 and its Lagan Bridge/Sydenham connections carry traffic from the motorway network towards the A2 coastal road east of Belfast.
George Best Belfast City Airport is reached from the A2 Sydenham side of Belfast, alongside the harbour and Belfast Lough corridor.
The airport lies northwest of Belfast rather than on the harbour-side route to Belfast City Airport.
Stockmans Lane is by M1 Junction 2, a major Belfast approach that also serves the Boucher Road and city traffic network.
The northern end of the A12 Westlink connects into the M2 motorway system near York Street.
For a motorway-based approach, look at the A12 Westlink, M2 connection, M3 Lagan Bridge and the Titanic Quarter approaches around Queen’s Road.
The A12 Westlink runs along the western edge of Belfast city centre and connects the M1 with the M2, while the M3 runs over the Lagan Bridge towards the eastern harbour and Sydenham side.
The main strategic connector is the A12 Westlink: it links the M1 side of Belfast with the M2 at the north end of the city.
DfI publishes consultations, notices of intention and made traffic orders online, including proposals for speed limits and other restrictions.
A traffic regulation or control-of-traffic order is a legal instrument used by DfI to create enforceable road restrictions.
A public road becomes one-way when DfI introduces the necessary traffic restriction and signs the road accordingly.
Residents can request yellow-line restrictions, but only DfI can introduce enforceable waiting restrictions on the public road.
DfI considers measured speeds, collision history, traffic volumes, vulnerable road users, road layout, access needs and the likely effects on residents and emergency services.
Yes. Residents can request speed humps, cushions or other traffic-calming measures from DfI Roads.
Residents can ask DfI to assess whether a pedestrian crossing is justified, but installation is not automatic.
Poorly timed permanent traffic lights can be reported to DfI Roads even if the signals are technically working.
Oil, debris or a dangerous obstruction should be reported promptly; use PSNI for an immediate danger and DfI Roads for road-maintenance issues.
Blocked road drains and gullies on the public road network can be reported to DfI Roads.
Faded or missing road markings should be reported to DfI Roads as a road fault.
Report a missing, damaged or obscured traffic sign to DfI Roads using the road-fault reporting service.
Yes. DfI can introduce temporary restrictions for roadworks, events, safety or other traffic-management needs without making the arrangement permanent.
PSNI can close a road immediately after a collision where necessary for safety, rescue, investigation or traffic management.
