Motorway traffic in Belfast will face disruption over three weekends in August as the third phase of bridge bearing replacements gets underway on the M3 Lagan Bridge.

The first closure begins on Friday at 9pm and runs until Monday at 6am on August 17. The M3 Middlepath Street on-slip road westbound will be closed, and lanes one and two of the westbound carriageway will also be shut.

Drivers wanting to join the M3 from the city centre will be diverted via the A2 Middlepath Street, A2 Bridge End, A2 Ann Street, A2 Victoria Street, A2 Dunbar Link, A2 Great Patrick Street, and A2 York Street.

Motorists already travelling on the M3 from the Sydenham bypass towards the Westlink or north and west Belfast will be unable to leave the motorway until the M2 Junction 1 Fortwilliam Roundabout off-slip road. They will then be directed onto the M2 southbound towards Nelson Street.

The works form part of a longer maintenance scheme. Earlier phases took place in 2024 and 2025, replacing 18 bridge bearings. A further six bearings are planned under the current phase, which affects the on and off slip roads on the M3 Bridge.

Two further weekends of closures will follow later in August. All planned work is subject to favourable weather conditions.