Palmer's raises roads issues in first speech

Recently elected MLA Jenny Palmer, used her maiden speech in the Assembly to criticise the road infrastructure around Lisburn and the traffic chaos that attracts the Balmoral Show each year.
MLA  Jenny PalmerMLA  Jenny Palmer
MLA Jenny Palmer

Mrs Palmer, spokesperson for infrastructure within the Ulster Unionist Party said the Balmoral Show was an inspiration to the rest of the country and was delighted to hear it will be open for four days next year.

“However, the chaos surrounding the roads into the show is also a source of shame,” she said.

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“Year after year, we read the miserable reports of traffic jams, parking bedlam and wasted opportunities due in no small part to the disgraceful lack of progress at the Maze site.

“Better planning of roads and targeted improvements, such as an M1/Balmoral link road, could solve the issue. Additionally, any Members who travel via Sprucefield will be aware of the extremely poor connections to Belfast that inevitably result in long delays and tailbacks.”

She also spoke of the lack of progress on the Sprucefield bypass and the Knockmore link road - an important development she said of the area.

“Our poor road infrastructure is discouraging investment in general, but it hits the outer parts of the country particularly hard,” she said.

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“I am pleased that Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has taken important steps to invest in its delivery with the Department and developers.

She spoke of her pride at being elected to the Assembly to represent Lagan Valley where she grew up, raised her children and is still a proud resident of the area.

“I hope we will see significant progress over the next five years,” she said.

“I am concerned infrastructure will be a series of vanity projects and undelivered strategies.”