BUS services which were suspended on the Black’s Road in September last year have resumed this week.

Translink’s Metro 650 service and a new Metro 646 service will improve links between the city centre, Belfast Royal Hospitals and Blacks Road park and ride.

The 650 service which operates from the Blacks Road park and ride to the city centre was particularly popular with commuters travelling into the city centre for work.

Also being introduced is the Metro 696, linking City Centre with Duncrue Street, Duncrue Road and Dargan Crescent in the North of the city.

Sinn Féin Councillor  Matt Garrett said it was great for these routes back up and running again as they had been asked for and greatly missed by residents.

“The services were suspended temporarily from September 2022, due to less people using the park and ride following Covid," he said. "However since society has got back up and running again there’s been a lot of people calling for the service to be resumed. There were some alternative services in place but they weren’t what people wanted.

“We spoke with Damian Bannon, Belfast Area Manager of Translink and put the case to get these services back. Ideally with the services now back we want to look at how they can be improved even further and to enhance the current transport links we have in the area between the hospital (RVH) and the Blacks Road.”

Cllr Garrett said he was working on a number of solutions in the Collin area concerning buses, including asking for the return of the old 10H route before it was adjusted with the introduction of the Glider.

“The 10H previously went up Blacks Road, down Stewartstown Road travelling through Andersonstown. This was changed with the Glider but residents have raised it with me that they would like to see that service come back. I have spoken with Translink regarding people’s desire to see this route back but I currently don’t think they have plans to resume it.”

Cllr Garrett also said he had spoken with Translink regarding buses which have been driving through Brooke Drive late at night.

“I’ve had a number of residents complain that bus 10A was driving through Brooke Drive, usually late at night on the way back to the depot. As that is a strictly residential street, buses should not be driving down there under any circumstances. I spoke with Translink about this and they said they have relayed all of this to their drivers who have been told not to drive down there again.”

Responding Damian Bannon, Belfast Service Manager at Translink, said: “We regularly review our routes and services to identify opportunities to improve and keep people better connected. As part of these recent changes, we have reinstated the former 650 route with an improved and extended variation, and we’ve worked closely with local stakeholders as part of these plans.”