New Rapid Transit System Gets Green Light In Belfast

The next phase will be a detailed design for a bus based rapid transit system connecting Belfast City Centre to West Belfast, East Belfast and the Titanic Quarter.

Announcing the decision the Minister said: "This project is our opportunity to create a new dynamic transportation system for Belfast, one that helps link people to jobs, hospitals, schools and colleges.

"It will also link communities to the city centre and the emerging opportunities in Titanic Quarter, and can be expanded to other parts of the city in due course.

"The development of Rapid Transit will also result in a boost to the local economy with employment opportunities in engineering, construction and operation of the new system. It will help to regenerate neighbourhoods and open up new development opportunities.

"The speed, reliability and comfort of the service will attract drivers out of their cars as they see the advantages of rapid transit. It is also expected to attract over 5.5million passengers a year and there will be high frequency services every five minutes at rush hour.

"Bus based rapid transit technology has been described as a 'tram on tyres'. No track is required but it will be segregated from other traffic as much as possible. This bus based rapid transit system is used in cities throughout the world such as Las Vegas, Adelaide, and Amsterdam.

"The pilot system will have three routes: one running from Dundonald in the East to the city centre; one serving the development in Titanic Quarter and one from the city centre to the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) and beyond into West Belfast. The exact alignments of these routes will be established through the detailed design stage."