£99k allocated for 40 additional Park and Ride spaces at Newry Railway Station

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has allocated £3.25m in Local Growth Fund Capital for 2026/7, with Newry among four towns and cities to benefit from the funding. The money will support transport and connectivity projects in Belfast, Newry, Ballymena and Strabane.

In Newry, £99,000 has been allocated to the second phase of the Newry Station Park and Ride scheme. The funding will deliver between 40 and 45 additional park and ride spaces along with associated traffic management measures at the station, addressing existing capacity constraints and supporting further growth in the use of public transport. In recent months footpaths on the road up to the station have been used as an additional place to park by motorists, much to the dismay of local residents.

Newry and Armagh MLA Cathal Boylan has welcomed the investment. He said: “This investment will help meet the demand of the park and ride and work to reduce on street parking issues, while also encouraging more people to use public transport.

“This is a great investment in public transport infrastructure in Newry and will have a positive impact on the local area.”

The largest share of the funding, £2,050,000, has been allocated to Ballymena Park and Ride Phase 2, which will support the expansion of the existing facility from 222 spaces to more than 600. The scheme is intended to help meet demand, reduce on-street parking pressures and encourage greater use of public transport.

Strabane has been allocated £1,000,000 towards the potential acquisition of an existing, third party owned car park adjacent to Strabane Bus Station. The site would provide approximately 150 to 170 parking spaces and increase park and ride provision in the town in the short term.

In Belfast, £100,000 has been allocated to the Belfast Cycling Network at Durham Street, to improve connectivity and the quality of provision for cyclists between Grand Central Station and the northern side of the city centre.

Minister Kimmins said she had allocated the funding to proposals that focus on transport and connectivity improvements that will support economic development and sustainable travel in the towns. Kimmins said the projects are designed to improve accessibility, encourage greater use of public and active travel, reduce congestion and support safer, more efficient transport networks in Belfast, Newry, Ballymena and Strabane.