Belfast Glider plans would cause 'significant traffic congestion'

Proposals to extend Belfast's Glider bus service to Glengormley would "create significant traffic congestion", according to documents obtained by BBC News NI.

The papers also conflict with Stormont's infrastructure minister's claim that "there has been no delay" to plans to bring the Glider to north and south Belfast.

Liz Kimmins has said she hopes a "full extension" can be delivered by 2033, but previous timescales have ranged from 2027 to 2030.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said the minister was "committed" to the project and a first phase was "on target for completion by 2030".

The Glider involves a fleet of purple articulated buses based on a tram design.

It launched in 2018 with services running between east and west Belfast.

The Belfast Rapid Transit 2 (BRT2) project aims to extend the service to the north and south of the city.

It is estimated to cost £124.5m, but just £48m has been secured so far.

In 2022, it was announced the preferred route was along the Antrim Road in the north, and the Ormeau and Saintfield roads in the south.

It was also decided the routes should extend to Glengormley in the north and Carryduff in the south.

Last year Kimmins paused those extension plans, saying they were "not economically viable" at this time.

But the minister has maintained she hopes Glengormley and Carryduff can be included in future, saying it would be kept "under review".

"It's only when these extensions are completed that BRT2 will be fully delivered," she told assembly members in March.

An internal briefing paper from DfI's major projects director in November 2024 gave further reasons for withdrawing the Glengormley plan.

"The extension into Glengormley will create significant traffic congestion which would impact negatively on the town centre and harm the reliability of any Glider service," it said.

A feasibility study concluded the Glengormley plan was "not recommended".

It pointed to congestion concerns at the junction between the Antrim, Hightown and Ballyclare roads.

The study said it would have a "significantly negative impact on BRT2 service reliability and punctuality as well as impacting general traffic".

Another document said: "The town would be better served by a limited stop/express bus service at peak times."

The documents were obtained through Freedom of Information requests.

Researcher and roads commentator Wesley Johnston told BBC's The View programme there was "a practicality issue and an affordability issue coming into play at the same time".

In March, the minister told the Northern Ireland Assembly "there has been no delay" to the north-south Glider project.

It followed concerns from members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) after Kimmins said in response to a written question that BRT2 "could be completed by 2033".

A year earlier, Kimmins had told MLAs it was possible the north-south Glider "could become operational by 2030" and an "initial phase could be delivered by 2027".

Kimmins in March told the assembly there had been a "misinterpretation" of the timeline.

She said the 2030 timescale related to only one part of the project, involving an extension of the G2 service to Queen's University and the City Hospital.

The minister added "the 2033 date is in relation to the full delivery" of BRT2 - including the Glengormley and Carryduff extensions.

However, DfI papers have given much earlier timescales over the years.

In 2022, a DfI press release said that BRT2 "could become operational in autumn 2027".

An online document dated August 2023 said it was "possible that the north-south Glider service could become operational in autumn 2028".

The content of the paper was changed in June last year, removing the reference to 2028 and instead saying DfI hoped to "deliver the first phase of these works by 2030".

Johnston said: "I don't think it's accurate to say there has been no delay."

"It's definitely been pushed several years into the future compared to what it was," he added.

"The minister will be keen to paint the scheme in a positive light, but in fairness to her, I think money is the issue - it's not a lack of political will."

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA Peter Martin, chair of the assembly's infrastructure committee, said DfI was facing several "competing targets and priorities".

He said they include the A5 road project and wastewater infrastructure problems, meaning BRT2 "could well be on the backburner".

Martin said it was for the minister to set out her priorities, adding: "I don't think it's acceptable that she says it's all going to be okay when it's patently clear it's not going to all be okay."

Green Party councillor Áine Groogan said the north-south Glider would have "definitely a positive impact" on regenerating the city centre and "improving connectivity".

She said the area has faced dereliction as a result of "land banking" from developers.

But Groogan said there was "a bit of conflict" with efforts to pedestrianise the city centre and "making it a place that people actually spend time in".

Ciaran Smyth, owner of the Phoenix Bar in north Belfast, described BRT2 as a "golden opportunity".

"Politically and socially and business-wise it makes absolute sense to fire away with it," he added.

In a statement DfI said: "The minister is committed to the delivery of the full Belfast Rapid Transit project to extend the Glider network into north and south Belfast."

A spokesperson said funding secured so far through the Belfast Region City Deal and departmental funds would "facilitate the commencement of a phased delivery".

"Phase One is progressing at pace and is on target for completion by 2030," they added.

DfI said Gliders were "scheduled to be on the road in the south of the city" in the Queen's University and City Hospital route "by 2030".

It added that a new "park and ride" facility on O'Neill Road in the north of the city "is also on track to be built by then".