(click here to refer to Page 4 for full chronological listing of SLC issues)
“Not a bridge. Not a commitment. Just an honest answer.”
With the call for a feasibility study for SLC across the political spectrum in 2026, it is worth appreciating how close the Peninsula came to having a permanent crossing. In 1964 funding for a bridge from Portaferry to Strangford was agreed by the government. Investigating why it stalled thereafter. Watch this archive film clip for details. Credit to Lolly Spence. Click on image or link below.
https://digitalfilmarchive.net/media/a-bridge-for-portaferry-7467
Update: 11th March 2026 – Storm damage to the A20 Portaferry Road has confirmed what local people already know: our current connections across Strangford Lough are vulnerable, unreliable and increasingly costly to defend. In the Assembly, Minister Liz Kimmins has now publicly accepted that a fixed crossing is a credible option, stating that if there is strong support and a solid economic case, “why not?” and committing to keep a bridge “under review”, subject to budget. At the same time, her Department still refuses even a basic, time‑limited feasibility and options study, despite 94% local support and clear evidence of growing risk from storms and ferry disruption.
Our next steps are clear:
1) Secure cross‑party and cross‑community backing for an independent feasibility and options appraisal with no presumption of construction.
2) Ensuring SLC is added to the Transport Strategy 2035 that sets the vision for “a sustainable, safe, accessible and effective transport system” and priorities to deliver a cleaner, smarter, more inclusive network by 2035
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- The Man Who Would Not Accept No for an Answer
Bridge to Tomorrow
(Click on image below for campaign music video)
“Even the Golden Gate Bridge was fought at every turn — too costly, too risky, too ambitious… until the day it opened, and everyone asked why it hadn’t been built sooner.”
A reminder that progress always meets resistance.
Update: Narrow Water Bridge – click on image above for new website (19min, 18km diversion shall be eliminated; Strangford lough diversion is 90min, 75km by contrast)
Connecting communities. Building a united and balanced Northern Ireland
SLC (Strangford Lough Crossing) is a proposed transformative infrastructure project that would create a sustainable, multi-modal bridge connection across Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, linking the Ards Peninsula with ‘the mainland’ as locally referred to, and completing the A2 coastal route. The principle aim is to improve lives, with more preventative healthcare and reduced poverty by giving everyone their dignity and opportuntity to work, play and improve their own lives and that of their families and the communities with which they interact, and where the governments have less of a dire supporting role, except for those in justifed need.
The vision encompasses not just vehicular transportation but also dedicated active travel lanes for cycling and walking, renewable energy integration, and marina facilities, designed to address regional economic imbalance (particularly the Ards Peninsula’s lowest median wages in Northern Ireland), reduce the current 75km detour, provide 24/7 reliable access to services and emergency care, and support climate change goals while minimizing environmental impact on the sensitive marine environment. This project represents an integrated approach to infrastructure that simultaneously serves economic development, social connectivity, environmental sustainability, and resilience objectives for a united and balanced Northern Ireland.
“DfI operates the Strangford Ferry with departmental budget and ministerial accountability, proving they recognize this connection has strategic-level importance”
Download the SLC flyer below and share widely. The numbers are important.
Strangford Lough Crossing: Sustainable Connectivity for a Balanced Future
A Multi-Modal Vision Aligned with Northern Ireland’s Strategic Priorities
The Strangford Lough Crossing proposal represents a transformative opportunity to create a sustainable, future-focused connection between communities while supporting Northern Ireland’s strategic infrastructure priorities.
Supporting Active Travel Networks
Our vision extends beyond a traditional bridge to create a true sustainable transport corridor:
- Dedicated active travel lanes connecting the networks identified in the Department for Infrastructure’s Active Travel Delivery Plan
- Creation of the region’s most scenic cycling and walking route, encouraging tourism and healthy lifestyles
- Linking the active travel networks of Ards & North Down with Newry, Mourne & Down, currently divided by the Lough
- Avail of the rich maritime facilities including the marina, capable of all round use and key contribution to the local economy if included in the overall concept.
Advancing Climate and Environmental Goals
The crossing will serve as a model for environmentally responsible infrastructure:
- Reduced emissions by eliminating the current 75km detour and ferry operations
- Integration of renewable energy generation within the structure
- State-of-the-art design minimizing impact on the sensitive marine environment
- Enhanced public transport connectivity reducing car dependency
Addressing Regional Imbalance
The crossing directly supports the Department for Economy’s Sub-Regional Economic Plan (October 2024) objectives:
- Connecting the Ards Peninsula, which currently has the lowest median wages in Northern Ireland (£450.10 weekly)
- Providing 24/7 reliable access to services, education, and employment opportunities
- Supporting the aging population with improved emergency services and healthcare access
- Enabling sustainable economic development in underserved areas
Building Resilience
The project strengthens Northern Ireland’s infrastructure resilience:
- Creating transportation network redundancy through an alternative to the weather-dependent ferry
- Supporting emergency services with consistent, reliable access
- Establishing a critical link that facilitates public service delivery regardless of conditions
The Strangford Lough Crossing represents more than connectivity—it embodies the integrated, place-based approach advocated by the Pivotal Public Policy Forum, where infrastructure serves multiple strategic objectives simultaneously. This is an opportunity to demonstrate how Northern Ireland can develop infrastructure that balances economic, social, and environmental priorities for generations to come.
Join us in supporting this vision for a more connected, sustainable, united and balanced Northern Ireland.