Key road projects in Northern Ireland remain paused as legal proceedings continue, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has confirmed. Ms Kimmins told the Transport Ireland Conference in Dublin that work on the A5 Western Transport Corridor and junction safety improvements on the A1 cannot progress until litigation is resolved.

The Minister said she remained committed to building the A5, describing it as a scheme that would bring significant economic and safety benefits. The project is intended to improve connectivity between the north-west and the rest of the region.

Pending the outcome of court cases, a £1 million resurfacing scheme is to go ahead on the A1, a major arterial route carrying thousands of vehicles a day, including many cross-border journeys. The resurfacing work was announced as an interim measure while the planned junction upgrades are on hold.

The conference also heard updates on public transport investment. Ms Kimmins pointed to a £548 million upgrade of the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise train fleet, around £200 million of which is coming from her department. She said frequency increases on the service had already led to substantial passenger growth. The All-Island Strategic Rail Review is also progressing, outlining a long-term vision for faster, more reliable cross-border rail.

On active travel, the Minister highlighted the Active Travel Delivery Plan, which is funding safer infrastructure for local journeys and better integration with bus and rail. She noted cross-border greenways such as the Carlingford Lough Greenway, supported by Shared Island funding, as examples of joint investment improving connectivity and low-carbon travel.

Ms Kimmins said a new Transport Strategy for Northern Ireland is being finalised following extensive public consultation and is due for publication later in the summer. It will set out how transport is planned, invested in, and delivered over the coming years.