Transport in Belfast

Transportation in Belfast, a big city in Northern Ireland, has many ways to move around, like roads, trains, buses, planes, and ships. Even though many people still use cars, there are also many trains and buses that help people get to different places. In the past, Belfast had special electric cars called trams that people rode until 1954. The city has two big airports for planes, and the Port of Belfast is the busiest place for ships coming and going from the island of Ireland.

History

See also: Belfast Corporation Tramways and Trolleybuses in Belfast

In old Belfast, people used horse-drawn carts on cobbled streets to move around. As the city grew quickly during the Industrial Revolution, new ways to carry people were needed. Horse-drawn trams were introduced, and a steam tramway connected villages like Glengormley to the city. Later, the city’s trams were electrified. Over time, trams were replaced first by trolleybuses and then by buses in 1954.

Recently, plans were made to improve Belfast’s transport, aiming to fix years of not enough investment.

City layout

See also: Districts of Belfast

Belfast is still a city where some neighborhoods are separated. There are walls called "peace lines" that were built by the British Army after August 1969 during a difficult time known as the Troubles. These walls were made to help calm nightly disturbances and protect people.

Over the years, fewer people have lived in the city center, while more live in the areas around Belfast. The city center today has many older people, students, and young single people, while families often live farther out. Some parts of Belfast are wealthier, especially toward the south, while other areas, like around the Falls and Shankill Roads, have faced more challenges.

Routes

Some important roads leading 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

A major road project in Belfast started in 2006. It upgraded parts of the Westlink road to make traffic flow better. The Westlink road goes around the west side of the city center and connects three big roads called motorways. This project cost £103.9 million and was finished in 2009.

Cycling

The Lagan and Lough Cycle Way is a cycling path that goes through Belfast city center. It is part of Route 9 of the National Cycle Network and connects north to Jordanstown and south-west to Lisburn.

Cars and buses

Belfast is a city where many people use cars to travel. Compared to other places in Europe, Belfast has many roads for cars, including a big road called the M2 motorway. Most trips in Belfast are made by car, with fewer people using buses or walking.

There are many bus services in Belfast. A company called Translink runs most of the buses. Some buses focus on connecting homes to the city center, while other buses serve areas farther away. There are also special buses called black taxis that are popular in some parts of the city.

Airports

Belfast has two airports. Belfast International Airport is located north of the city near Lough Neagh and offers flights within the UK, to Europe, and across the Atlantic. George Best Belfast City Airport is closer to the city center and sits beside Belfast Lough.

In 2005, Belfast International Airport was the 11th busiest airport in the UK, handling just over 2% of all passengers. George Best Belfast City Airport was the 16th busiest, serving about 1% of UK passengers.

Railways

Bus and rail public transport in Northern Ireland is run by companies linked to Translink. In Belfast, bus services in the city and nearby areas are operated by Translink Metro. These buses travel along main roads to connect homes with the city center. Farther areas are served by Ulsterbus.

Northern Ireland Railways runs train services from Belfast to places like Carrickfergus, Larne, Bangor, Lisburn, and Portadown. Important train stations in Belfast include Lanyon Place and the new Belfast Grand central station, which will open soon. There is also a train service called the Enterprise that goes between Dublin and Belfast.

From the Port of Belfast, ferries travel to Cairnryan, connecting to trains that go to Glasgow.

In the past, there were plans to build a light rail system in Belfast, similar to the tram system in Dublin. These plans included routes to the east, west, and south of the city, as well as to the Titanic Quarter and the airport. However, a report suggested that improving bus services might be a better idea. This led to the Belfast Rapid Transport System, which will use special Glider vehicles with features like Wi-Fi and air conditioning. The new service is expected to start soon and will connect different parts of Belfast.

Seaport

Main article: Port of Belfast

The Port of Belfast is the busiest ferry port on the island of Ireland, with over 1.2 million passengers each year. The port is used for moving goods in and out of the city and for ferry trips. Stena Line runs regular ferries to Stranraer in Scotland, taking about 2 hours and 15 minutes. They also have trips to and from Liverpool, which take about eight hours. There are special trips to Douglas, Isle of Man during certain times of the year, run by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

Belfast Lough provides a natural place for the city’s port. As Belfast grew, the port became very important for trading with Britain, then later with Europe and North America. In the 1600s, Belfast sent out beef, butter, and other goods, and brought in things like coal and cloth. By the 1700s, Belfast was a rich trading town, especially for linen cloth.

When the Industrial Revolution came, the port helped Belfast’s growing linen and shipbuilding industries. The famous Harland & Wolff shipbuilding company began in 1861, and by 1912, they had built the largest shipyard in the world, including the Titanic. Today, the port is the main place for moving goods into and out of Northern Ireland, handling thousands of ships and lots of cargo each year. The Harbour Estate is a key center for organizing and sending goods across Northern Ireland.