Sydenham Bypass resurfacing work set to resume next week

Roadworks on the Sydenham Bypass in Belfast are set to resume next week, after the work was paused over the festive period.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has confirmed that the £3.8m resurfacing project will restart on Monday January 6.

Overnight and weekend closures of the bypass, which is one of Belfast’s busiest roads, began in late September.

But the closures were suspended in November as DfI halted non-essential roadworks on major routes for the Christmas period.

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It also came amid major traffic disruption and delays across many parts of the city centre and main routes around Belfast ahead of the Christmas period.

Ahead of the recommencement of work, DfI said work will be limited to weeknights and weekends to “minimise disruption”.

The Belfast-bound carriageway between Tillysburn and the M3 will be closed on weeknights (Monday to Thursday) between 10am and 6pm.

Four weekend closures are also planned, with the first scheduled from Friday 10 to Monday 13 January 2025.

The department said all weekend closure dates “will be weather dependent”.

A spokesperson for the department said: “Some weekend and overnight lane closures will also be required on the country bound lanes to ensure the safety of road workers and the travelling public while work is undertaken.

“The department recognises the impact of the initial phase of works and has suitable traffic management and diversions in place which we keep under constant review to address challenges, keep the project on track and minimise disruption to the public.

“The pause in works over Christmas ensured minimum disruption during the busy shopping period.”

It added that “completion is expected by early March 2025, subject to favourable weather conditions”.