Rapid Transit Enabling Measures Phase 1 - Belfast

 

Status
 Construction scheme (future)
Where
 To modify streets in Belfast City Centre to accommodate the pilot rapid transit system.
Total Length
n/a
Dates

Proposed as part of "Belfast on the Move" scheme - 30 Sep 2010
Implementation dependent on progress on Belfast Rapid Transit System -  to be in operation by 2017 (as of Sep 2011)
Cost
 ?
Photos
 None currently
See Also
Belfast Rapid Transit System - on this site
Streets Ahead Enabling Measures Phase 1 - on this site
Sustainable Transport Enabling Measures - on this site
Streets Ahead Enabling Measures Phase 2 - on this site

Belfast is currently undertaking a long-term scheme to redirect general traffic flows out of Belfast city centre, in order to permit a greater role for buses, rapid transit, pedestrians and cycling. The work is being carried out in six phases, of which this is the third:
  1. Streets Ahead Enabling Measures Phase 1
  2. Sustainable Transport Enabling Measures (STEM)
  3. Rapid Transit Enabling Measures
  4. Streets Ahead Enabling Measures Phase 2
  5. City Centre Ring Road Southern Section
  6. Transforming the City Centre Ring Road

Phase 2 is underway at the time of writing (Jan 2012) and sees road space in the city centre re-allocated away from general traffic and towards public transport and cycling. While these proposals involve creating new bus lanes, they do not provide sufficient infrastructure to allow rapid transit vehicles to traverse these streets. This will require additional work, concurrent with the construction of the wider rapid transit system which is (as of Jan 2012) expected to be in operation by 2017.

The map below dates from early 2011 and shows the proposed routes for rapid transit in the city centre and the locations of the five planned halts. Note however that it is now expected that WWAY will run on Grosvenor Road, and not on Divis Street. Hence the upper of the two green routes shown on the left will probably not be required.


DRD image from here

The map does raise some issues that will need clarified. For example it shows the rapid transit system running two-way on Grosvenor Road, even though that route is currently being converted to one-way westbound as part of a gyratory system. See the STEM project for more details.