Update: Narrow Water Bridge – October 2025 – click on image below for latest video
(Credit: Pak Aerial Media)
Connecting communities. Building a united and balanced Northern Ireland
“From 1969 to 2055 of ferry service, we would have spend the same amount of money as building the bridge alone, in 2025 (approx £120M in real terms).”
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 and completing the A2 coastal route. 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 requires strategic-level resources. If it’s genuinely ‘local’, transfer the ferry to councils, again. If that’s impossible – which it is – then admit this is strategic infrastructure and build a permanent crossing.”
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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.