Statutory Orders and Procurement
A Public Inquiry was held in November 2015 into the Environmental Statement, draft Designation Order and draft Vesting Order. Following an announcement by the Minister for Infrastructure on the 15 November 2016, the Inspector’s Report and the Departmental Statement were published, along with the Designation Order and the Notice to Proceed. These documents can be viewed on the York Street Interchange website using the link at the bottom of the page.
The procurement process for the York Street Interchange was progressed in parallel with the statutory procedures. The tender process to appoint a Contractor to bring the scheme to a construction ready stage was completed in 2016 but was subject to a legal challenge. The Court ruled against the Department, setting aside the Contract Award. Following an unsuccessful appeal, the Department accepted the Court’s judgement and set aside the Contract Award.
Independant Assurance Review
In the summer of 2020 the Minister announced an independent review of the scheme. This was to determine the scheme’s ability to deliver better connectivity, improve health and wellbeing, tackle the climate crisis and to ensure it was future proofed. It was also to ensure the scheme aligned with the emerging policy context and new challenges.
On 26 March 2021 the Minister announced the outcome of the review, accepting in full its six recommendations. The Terms of Reference for the review and the outcome recommendations can be viewed on the York Street Interchange website using the link at the bottom of the page.
Placemaking and Active Travel Review
Following the recommendations from the Independent Assurance Review, the Minister asked consultants to carry out some further work particularly around place making and to maximise ambition in terms of what could be delivered for communities, connectivity and the wider living places agenda.
This Placemaking and Active Travel Review was completed and the Minister announced its publication on 11 October 2022. The consultant’s summary report can be viewed on the York Street Interchange website using the link at the bottom of the page.
At the Minister's request, work is currently underway by the project team to refine the three shortlisted options from the report, explore any implementation issues relating to them and engage further with stakeholders. This work is likely to take until early 2024 to complete. For details follow the link to the York Street Interchange website at the bottom of the page.
Prioritisation of Major Roads Programme
On 14 August 2023 the Department published a prioritised list of major road schemes that will continue to be progressed. There are a number of reasons why the prioritisation of projects, currently in the pipeline, was necessary, including the challenging budgetary position and constrained resources (in terms of finance and staff) and, importantly, the Department’s commitments under the Climate Change (NI) Act 2022.
Transport policies and plans are currently being reviewed and updated to align with these commitments and this work will help define what major transport infrastructure projects should be included within any future major roads programme.
The publication of the prioritised list of major road schemes, that will continue to be progressed, explains that development work on the York Street Interchange will be paused when the current work stream relating to Placemaking and Active Travel is completed. The schemes place on a future major works programme will be informed by the Department’s emerging transport plans and any decision by the Minister.
Estimated cost
£120m – £165m (2015 estimate, currently under review)
Scheme Image
Key dates
- 26 March 2009 - Stage 1 Report approved by Roads Service Board
- 1-2 June 2011 - Public exhibition
- 25 October 2012 - Stage 2 Report approved
- 6 December 2012 - Stage 2 report announced by the Minister
- 28 January 2015 - Statutory Orders published
- 9-10 February 2015 - Orders exhibition and objections received
- late Autumn 2015 - Public inquiry announced
- 14 May 2015 - Gateway 2 approved by TransportNI Management Group
- OJEU and PIN notice published on 6 August 2015
- Public inquiries were held between 10 and 12 November 2015
- 15 November 2016 – Publish Inspector’s Report and Departmental Statement.
- December 2019 – procurement competition set aside following legal challenge
- 20 November 2020 – Independent Assurance Review of scheme
- 26 March 2021 – publication of report of Independent Assurance Review
- April 2021 – Placemaking and Active Travel Review (PATR) of scheme
- 11 October 2022 - publication of PATR report
Scheme details
You can find out more about this scheme on the York Street interchange website.
Details last updated February 2024