Concern Translink not utilising £200m hub for local routes

Concern Translink not utilising £200m hub for local routes

30 October 2024

LOCAL bus passengers are unlikely to be using Belfast’s new £200m transport hub any time soon, it has emerged.

Translink has confirmed that passengers travelling to and from the city from Downpatrick, Ballynahinch and Newcastle will continue to be ped off in the town centre and collected in Adelaide Street.

A local politician claims the delay on local passengers using the new hub will impact particularly on the elderly and less able bodied.

From the start of July, the Downpatrick, Ballynahinch and Newcastle buses have departed from Adelaide Street but will eventually depart from the new Belfast Grand Central at the Grosvenor Road as services are added to the new station on a phased basis.

Translink says current timetables both at bus stops and online reflect the current arrangement and there is no timeframe at present for the local services to move to the much vaunted new transport hub.

The new facility is the largest integrated transport hub on the island of Ireland and has 26 bus stands and eight railway platforms as well as facilities for bicycles and taxis.

It is estimated the new hub will cater for up to 20 million passenger journeys a year with the new facility due for final completion next year and result in the transformation of public transport in Northern Ireland.

Rowallane councillor, Callum Bowsie, had asked for an update when the local buses will depart from the new Belfast Grand Central and was informed of the delay.

“I have received valid concerns from elderly and disabled bus users in relation to where buses from South Down direction are arriving and departing in Belfast,” he said.

“Those needing to transfer to a connecting bus at the new Grand Central Station are currently having to walk almost a kilometre from City Hall to the new station. This distance is unreasonably far for many of Translink’s users.”

Cllr Bowsie said passengers appreciate that opening a new station will be done in phases but the lack of any time frame for this temporary arrangement is unhelpful and, for some, quite stressful. 

He continued:  “Such passengers have had to make alternative travel arrangements or postpone travelling altogether until they can safely terminate and transfer at the same depot like they used to at the Europe Bus Station. 

“Passengers in Saintfield, Crossgar and Ballynahinch had hoped this would be resolved by the end of summer, but not only are we into late autumn without a resolution, but passengers still don’t know if it’s going to be weeks or months before safe and normal transit is restored.”

Cllr Bowsie said he has asked Translink to consider running a shuttle bus between Linenhall Street and Grand Central.