Transport in Belfast
Transportation systems in the city of
History
In the
Recent developments have been proposed in the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan, launched by the Minister for Regional Development in November 2004. It aimed to set a new direction for transport in the city following decades of under-investment.[6]
City layout
Belfast remains a divided city. There are 14 neighborhoods in the inner-city of Belfast some of which are divided by peace lines.[7] These walls were erected by the British Army, after August 1969, at the beginning of the Troubles. They were built in an effort to deal with the nightly rioting in the city at the time, and to stop intimidation and population flight. There was very little community consultation throughout this process.[7]
Since the 1970s, the inner city numbers have dropped and the
Routes
Some important arterial routes into Belfast include:
- York Street/York Road/Shore Road
- Antrim Road
- Oldpark Road
- Crumlin Road
- Shankill Road/Woodvale Road/Ballygomartin Road
- Divis Street/Falls Road/Glen Road
- Grosvenor Road/Springfield Road
- Andersonstown Road/Stewartstown Road
- Donegall Road
- Lisburn Road
- University Road/Malone Road
- Ormeau Road
- Ravenhill Road
- Woodstock Link/Woodstock Road/Cregagh Road
- Castlereagh Street/Castlereagh Road
- Albertbridge Road
- Newtownards Road/Upper Newtownards Road
- Holywood Road
Westlink
The most significant road scheme in Belfast for some years began early in 2006, with the upgrading of two junctions along the
Cycling
The Lagan and Lough Cycle Way, part of Route 9 of the National Cycle Network, runs through the city centre along the Laganside promenade and linking north to Jordanstown through the docks and along the lough shore and south-west to Lisburn along the Lagan towpath.
Cars and buses
In the nineteenth century due to suburbanization omnibuses became in to use and in 1869 were recorded running hourly on the Malone Road, Lisburn Road, Antrim Road, County Down Road to Sydenham hourly.[12] Belfast is a now a relatively car-dependent city, by European standards, with an extensive road network including the ten lane M2 motorway. A recent survey of how people travel in Northern Ireland showed that people in Belfast made 77% of all journeys by car, 11% by public transport and 6% on foot.[1] It also showed that Belfast has 0.70 cars per household compared to figures of 1.18 in the East and 1.14 in the West of Northern Ireland.[1]
Most public transport in Northern Ireland is operated by the subsidiaries of
Airports
The city has two airports: The Belfast International Airport offers domestic, European and transatlantic flights and is located north of the city, near Lough Neagh while the George Best Belfast City Airport is closer to the city centre, adjacent to Belfast Lough. In 2005, Belfast International Airport was the 11th busiest commercial airport in the UK, accounting for just over 2% of all UK terminal passengers while the George Best Belfast City Airport was the 16th busiest and had 1% of UK terminal passengers.[15]
- The Belfast International Airport Aldergrove offers domestic, European and transatlantic flights and is located 21 kilometres northwest of the city, near Lough Neagh. It was opened in 1917 as a training establishment for the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War.[16] A new Executive Aviation Terminal was opened in 1987 and annual passenger numbers reached 4.5 million in 2004.[16] In 2005, it was the 11th busiest commercial airport in the UK, accounting for just over 2% of all UK terminal passengers.[15]
- The George Best Belfast City Airport, named after the city's most famous footballing son, is closer to the city centre, beside Belfast Lough. Previously named the Harbour Airport, it was opened on 16 March 1938 by Anne Chamberlain, the wife of the British Prime Minister at the time.[17] It opened to passenger flights in 1983 and opened a new passenger terminal in 2001. The airport was officially renamed after George Best on 22 May 2006, the day he would have celebrated his 60th birthday.[17] In 2005, it was the 16th busiest airport in the UK and had 1% of all UK terminal passengers.[15]
Railways
Bus and rail
- Belfast-Larne railway line runs through Belfast's northern suburbs to Carrickfergus and Larne
- Belfast-Bangor railway line runs eastwards towards Bangor
Some important rail stations in Belfast include
Ferry and Rail
From the
Proposed transport
In 2007, a feasibility study was carried out to construct a light rail system in the city, initially along two routes, eventually along four. It had been compared to Luas, the tram system in Dublin.[18][19]
These proposals included:
- EWAY – East of city and Dundonald
- WWAY– West of city
- Titanic Quarter and George Best Belfast City Airport
- SupeRoute – South of City
In 2008, the Department for Regional Development issued a report suggesting that a "high class bus-based network could cut commuting times while costing significantly less".[20]
By 2017, this transpired into The
Seaport
The Port of Belfast is the busiest ferry port on the island of Ireland with over 1.2 million passengers annually.
The natural inlet of
As the
It is also the biggest gateway for both the import and export of goods in Northern Ireland, receiving 6,000 vessels, and half a million freight units per year.[3] The Harbour Estate is also Northern Ireland's leading logistics & distribution hub.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (18 October 2005). "Travel Survey for Northern Ireland 2002–04". Department for Regional Development. Retrieved 6 May 2007.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - ^ ISBN 1-84033-277-8.
- ^ a b c "About Us: Import, Export... Your Port!". Port of Belfast. Archived from the original on 29 May 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ "Welcome to the Transport Galleries". Tour The Transport Museum. Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ a b "Belfast Zoo Information: History". Belfast Zoo. Archived from the original on 7 April 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ "Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan 2015". Department of Regional Development. 30 November 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ a b Margrethe C. Lauber. "Belfast's Peacelines: An Analysis of Urban Borders, Design and Social Space in a Divided City". Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ Stephen, Roulston (2006). "Urban Structure: Growth of Belfast". Geography in Action. National Grid for Learning. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure" (PDF). Department of Finance and Personnel. May 2005.
- ^ "Westlink Upgrade". Road Improvements. Road Service. 2006. Archived from the original on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Johnston, Wesley. "Westlink & M1 Upgrade, Belfast". Northern Ireland Roads Site. Archived from the original on 7 February 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ISBN 978-1-84631-635-7
- ^ Fitzmaurice, Maurice (27 August 2018). "Glider buses to let passengers on from TOMORROW as part of test run". belfastlive. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
- ^ Rolston, Bill (5 August 2003). "Belfast's Gable-Murals". Radio 4: Latest Reports. BBC. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ a b c Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (28 September 2006). "Northern Ireland Transport Statistics Annual 2005–2006". Department for Regional Development. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ a b "Airport History". Belfast International Airport. 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ a b "Facts and figures". George Best City Airport. 2007. Archived from the original on 7 April 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
- ^ Morton, Robin (17 January 2007). "'Luas talk' of a light rail option for Belfast". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ "City rapid transit plans examined". BBC News. 16 January 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2007.
- ^ Cassidy, Martin. "City to get rapid transit network". BBC Northern Ireland. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
- ^ "Pictured: New Belfast rapid transit glider vehicle unveiled". Belfast Telegraph. 19 October 2017.
- ^ ISBN 0-86281-878-8.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 03 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 664–665.
- ISBN 0-86281-878-8.
- ^ "Introduction To Titanic – Titanic in History". Titanic. Built in Belfast. Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Archived from the original on 17 August 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2007.