SDLP South Down MLA Sinead Bradley has called on newly appointed Infrastructure Minister, Sinn Féin’s Chris Hazzard to immediately put plans in place for the completion of the Narrow Water Bridge project.
Ms Bradley said that the project, which broke down in the last Executive Mandate, is a critical project needed to enhance the economy and stimulate North/South partnership.
Ms Bradley said: “First of all, let me congratulate Chris Hazzard on his appointment as Infrastructure Minister. He now bears a great responsibility to the people of the North generally and to the people of South Down specifically. For far too long investment in infrastructure has been focussed on the North East, effectively repartitioning this region. That must come to a dramatic end.
“In our own constituency, the people of South Down have waited and been disappointed by successive Ministers who have not made good on the promise of the Narrow Water Bridge. That, too, must come to a dramatic end.
“The Narrow Water Bridge is a critical project for tourism, for enhancing the local economy and for developing a deeper North/South partnership. It cannot slip through the fingers of the Government again. As his first act as Infrastructure Minister, I am now calling on Mr Hazzard to commit to the project and to outline a robust strategy for the way forward on this project.
“It’s time that communities in South Down saw action rather than more thin, broken promises.”
