Roads around Portrush and Portstewart were jam-packed due to an influx of traffic on what turned out to be a sunny and pleasant Easter Sunday.
Amid the scenes of heavy traffic, a police vehicle was involved in a collision on Kerr Street in Portrush on Sunday afternoon, with very minor damage caused to one of the vehicles.
There were no reports of any injuries as a result.
Motorists experienced long delays heading into Portrush on all three main routes; the Bushmills Road from the east, Portstewart Road from the west and Atlantic Road from the direction of Coleraine.
In Portstewart, traffic was extremely busy on The Promenade, stretching both directions down the Portmore Road and the Coleraine Road as far as the Mill Road roundabout.
Reports circulated that travelling between the two towns was very slow.
The popular Portstewart beachfront restaurant Harry’s Shack commented: “Assume traffic chaos between Portrush and Portstewart today.
“Like car park stuff… if you like being stuck in car parks… good luck.
“To avoid and still have a nice stroll on beach coffee, lunch or beer, approach us from old Coleraine A2 road.”
Others echoed those sentiments calling Portrush a “car park” and “car madness”.
One woman added: “In Portrush now and can confirm that queues are horrendous. Lucky enough to find a spot easily but I think some people will be queuing up for a couple of hours or more in their cars. Happy Easter.”
Ulsterbus cancelled all 104f services in Portrush due to “traffic conditions” and apologised to the public for any inconvenience.
It comes as the Met Office said the rest of the Easter break will see more unsettled conditions.
The Met Office said Monday will be a cloudier day with outbreaks of rain, light and patchy in the west, but more persistent in the east and quite heavy over higher ground.
The maximum temperature will be 10C. Looking ahead to the rest of the week, a Met Office spokesperson said: “An unsettled and often cloudy few days with rain at times, more especially on Wednesday and Thursday.”
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Harris said: “The weather is expected to gradually improve following the widely unsettled spell of the past few days, with a fairly typical mix of spring-like weather across the UK.
“There will be some sunshine, and it will feel increasingly warm for most as the winds become lighter.”
However, the west and especially southwest is likely to see passing showers too, which could be quite heavy and frequent at times.
“Eastern coastal districts are also likely to feel increasingly cold as an onshore breeze develops, threatening persistent low cloud in some areas too.
“At present Tuesday looks mostly settled, between one area of low pressure responsible for today’s rain in the south or southeast, clearing to the east, and another low arriving from the southwest later.
“How quickly this second low and associated rain arrives is uncertain in the longer-range forecast. But it will herald a further spell through early April of unsettled weather focused particularly across southern areas. The best chance of any more settled conditions, and probably colder conditions, will be across the north of the UK.”
Locator: Portrush, Northern Ireland
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
