Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings - 26 January 2022
Infrastructure - Minutes of Proceedings 26 January 2022.pdf (195.09 kb)
Committee for Infrastructure
Minutes of Proceedings
26 January 2022
Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA(Chairperson)
Mr David Hilditch MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Mr Roy Beggs MLA
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA
Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA
Ms Cara Hunter MLA
Ms Liz Kimmins MLA
Mr Andrew Muir MLA
Mr George Robinson MLA
Apologies: None
In Attendance:
Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jim McManus (Assembly Clerk)
Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Stephen Magee (Clerical Supervisor)
The meeting commenced at 10:08 am in public session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Chairpersons Business
The Committee considered the timetabling of its planned stakeholder event.
Agreed The Committee agreed to schedule the stakeholder event for 1:00pm, 9 February 2022.
3. Draft Minutes.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the amended minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 19 January 2022.
4. Matters Arising
None.
5. Correspondence
Correspondence from Star Car Hire regarding the application of Taxis Licencing to Limousine & Funeral vehicle drivers.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence and forward it to the Department for comment.
Copy correspondence from Star Car Hire regarding the application of Taxis Licencing to Limousine & Funeral vehicle drivers.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence and forward it to the Department for comment.
George Robinson joined the meeting at 10:15 am.
6. Subordinate Legislation – SRs Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings
The Committee consideredthe following SR not subject to any Assembly proceedings:
- SR 2022-7 The Parking Places on Roads and Waiting Restrictions (Magherafelt) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the Statutory Rule.
7. S.R. 2022/8 The Crankill Road Central Reservation, Ballymena (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022
The Committee considered the Statutory Rule which will stop-up a gap in the central reservation at Crankill Road, Ballymena at a point south of its junction with Fenagh Road for a distance of 5.7 metres in a southerly direction.
Agreed: That the Committee for Infrastructure has considered SR 2022/8 The Crankill Road Central Reservation, Ballymena (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules report, has no objection to the rule.
8. Briefing from Translink – Budget Impact
The representative joined the meeting at 10:13 am.
- Mr Chris Conway, Chief Executive, Translink
The representative provided the Committee with an oral briefing.
A question and answer session followed.
The representative agreed to provide information on the number of Translink services per day in the period before Covid, and currently
The representative agreed to provide information on the current Translink Reserves and an overview on the total Covid support over the 2-year period.
Mr Muir declared an interest as a past employee of Translink.
The representative agreed to provide details of the figures cited regarding the funding for Translink per capita.
The Chairperson thanked Mr Conway for his attendance.
Mr Conway left the meeting at 11:31 am.
9. Departmental Briefing – EV Infrastructure Taskforce
The officials joined the meeting at 11:32 am
Ms Liz Loughran, Director of Transport Policy
Mr Tim Weir, Transport Policy Division
Mr John Starkey, Transport Policy Division
The officials provided the Committee with an oral briefing.
A question and answer session followed.
Officials agreed to provide information on the Department’s match funding for councils.
The Chairperson thanked the officials for their attendance.
The officials left the meeting at 11:52 pm.
10. Scrutiny of Transport Common Frameworks
The Committee considered a draft response to the Minister for Infrastructure regarding its consideration of the Common Frameworks.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider and agree a final draft of the response by email and to forward this to the Minister.
11. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the Draft Forward Work Programme.
12. Any Other Business
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a briefing from Department officials and sector representatives on the possibility of removing wedding and funeral vehicle hire companies from the Northern Ireland Taxi legislation.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to ask the Minister to provide information on past Monitoring Round bids by her Department for road maintenance and to voice concern that there has been no bid made on in this Monitoring Round, urging her to make such a bid.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department for information on its current water and drainage consultation with Ulster Anglers.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister asking her to address the backlogs in applying for MOT tests and for issuing information to the public to communicate what to do in these circumstances.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for information on whether additional resource has been provided for officials to develop bids for road maintenance projects.
13. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 2 February 2022 at 10:00 am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12.10 pm
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Infrastructure
2 February 2022
