Group to tackle Belfast's traffic jams

Published Tuesday, 02 October 2012

Representatives from Translink, Roads Service, DRD and the PSNI will meet every two weeks to monitor traffic in Belfast city centre after recent changes led to widespread tailbacks.

Congestion in Belfast city centre led to long delays for commuters. (© UTV)

New bus lanes came into force last month on roads across the city, leaving traffic in Belfast at a standstill.

Angry commuters railed against comments from Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy that priority must be given to public transport.

During a meeting at Belfast City Hall on Tuesday, politicians and representatives from DRD met to discuss issues with the Belfast on the Move project.

It was decided that a special group would be set up to meet fortnightly over the next eight weeks in attempts to tackle problems with the scheme.

Belfast's Lord Mayor Gavin Robinson said: "By bringing together all of these key players we will aim to address the issues many of our residents and those who work in the city have brought to us.

"Our aim is to encourage all agencies to work together effectively so that greater access to our city and increased footfall can be achieved.

"We will meet every fortnight, or more often if deemed necessary, to ensure a full flow of communications and to ensure that current frustrations are conveyed to the relevant stakeholders".

The man behind Belfast on the Move, Ciaran De Burca, Director of Transport Projects at the DRD, said the Department was committed to sharing information and working with all stakeholders to find solutions.

Comments

4 Comments

pat in belfast wrote (228 days ago):

Belfast city centre is just one big bus station with buses parked everywere,most double parked. all the buses come thru the city centre causing major traffic conjestion,surely we should have bus stations on the edge of city centre to take all the buses away from the centre parking and only pickm up enroute.you dont see many cties with the city hall as a bus station,who makes these plans have sense ,i know we want a good bus service but this has become a joke now.

sebastian in malone rd belfast wrote (228 days ago):

Maybe if people respected the bus lanes and had a bit more patience this scheme would work.I have been commuting to the office in central Belfast and ive personally had no problems.The problem seems to be the short-tempered drivers who wont work with the authorities.....

David Turley in Belfast wrote (228 days ago):

Who is there at these meetings to voice an opinion for the ordinary driver,taxi driver and delivery driver?These 3 groups would probably have better input and ideas than Translink,Roads Service and DRD.Whats the old saying,"You pay peanuts and the job will be done by monkeys"

Phil in Belfast wrote (228 days ago):

Maybe this should have been done in teh first place! Doh!