I motored over to the hardware store at Holywood Exchange this morning in the two-seater to obtain a refund for some EU specification light fitting; and, on the way home, a large section of the by-pass was closed!
I was advised to take a route along the harbour foreshore, past the RSPB Reserve. I gave that up, due to heavy congestion; about-turned, and motored along the part of the carriageway open towards Palace Barracks and up the hill to the Old Holywood Road.
The BBC has reported that "Hundreds of drivers were caught up in traffic chaos during a huge police operation in east Belfast on Thursday.
Traffic on the Belfast-Bangor A2 road was diverted away from what police have described as "an incident" at the flyover at Holywood Exchange.
The road was re-opened after being closed in both directions as officers attempted to deal with "a woman in distress". Police said a woman has been taken to hospital".
I merely wondered if the local constabulary could possibly provide motorists with a little more information?
Chloë Blackburn (died 2024)
5 hours ago
8 comments :
I had been wondering about this all day. I work in Holywood and when I was travelling to work (along the Old Holywood Road) at around 8:15am, the traffic coming from Holywood was at a standstill and diversions were in place.
No news outlets covered the story - which they would have had it been a bomb alert or major accident - and it was only via Twitter that I gleaned rumours that a woman was threatening to throw herself off the flyover at Holywood Exchange.
Whether this is true we do not know, though the official line about "a woman in distress" and "a woman taken to hospital" would seem to support that.
What I am unclear on is how this can take over seven hours to resolve. (The road was reopened after 3:30pm.) Surely if she was going to jump, all they need to do is put a canopy or similar beneath, as the fire service would for someone jumping from a burning building?
Anyway, with all due sensitivity to the unfortunate woman concerned, I am glad I will be getting home smoothly.
Many thanks indeed for that, a lot more than NI Police could provide us with.
I've heard about such incidents, and bouncy castles (or similar items) have been used if a person threatens to jump from certain structures.
Tim
It reminded me of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZEEgIti8sM&feature=related
I have to say it was reported by the media, as much as a traffic warning... it did say that both sides were closed and you should avoid the area if at all possible.... due to an incident taking place, but i do have to admit i only heard it once... J. xx
I and many others are also wondering about this bizarre secrecy. The first thought is that it must be some legal reason: but what?
It seems particularly strange and incongruous because the BBC, politicians, the public have been so very vocal in high-profile complaining about non-communication and secrecy, since Christmas right through to now. Every Nolan show is a rant about the public not being given the facts.
It is not normal for such chaos to be kept out of the news. Even if 'the incident' wasn't detailed, you would expect there to at least be a headline story about the resulting mayhem: the prime route in NI being completely closed, work being disrupted, flights missed, public transport stopped and the roads between Bangor, Newtownards and Belfast being clogged.
- or maybe it is more normal than we realise: as we just don't get the news/info.
Maybe it was a celebrity lady? I did wonder why it took so long to rescue this poor lady. 7 hours of traffic jams - birds falling from the sky - the NHS about to buckle - Tim, are we facing the end?
Well I am still none the wiser as to what the "incident" was.
The police need not name the person; they owe the general public an explanation, though, as to the circumstances surely?
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