Alliance Councillor Sara Duncan has said she would welcome any scheme which would result in a decrease in traffic on the Saintfield Road and encourage bus use, as long as valuable resources like Belvoir Forest Park are not destroyed in the process.
Cllr Duncan was speaking after Castlereagh councillors were informed that the Planning Appeals Commission has no objection in principle for a park and ride scheme, including car park, terminal building and small scale retail at Saintfield Road/Purdysburn Road.
Cllr Duncan said: “I welcome any scheme which will decrease traffic on Saintfield Road and encourage the use of buses, as long as valuable assets like Belvoir Forest Park are not destroyed in the process.”
“The Department has also issued a Notice of Opinion to approve an application for residential development on land overlapping with the park and ride development. However, if this went ahead, we would have even more traffic added to the Saintfield Road.”
“The Saintfield Road is, in my opinion, one of the most dangerous in Northern Ireland, and I will continue to campaign to make it safer, while encouraging greater use of public transport and protecting the environment.”
ENDS.