INFRASTRUCTURE Minister Nichola Mallon has agreed to maintain the cycle lanes along the Dublin Road in the city centre, while also creating an additional bus lane to further improve sustainable travel options in the city.
It comes after a review on pop-up cycle lanes in Belfast.
The Minister has chosen to retain the cycle lane, reintroduce two running lanes of traffic making the left hand lane a bus lane and the right hand lane a general traffic lane. She says the measures will alleviate delays to public transport and emergency vehicles in the short-term. It will require a small reduction in the width of the cycle lane.
In West Belfast, on the Grosvenor Road, the pop-up cycle lane will be maintained while developing a better design longer-term, which encourages more cycling usage for those who cycle on the road instead.
Minister Mallon said: “Active travel and the development of better cycling infrastructure is a key objective to begin a Green Recovery as we continue to live with the Covid pandemic.
“While the Covid crisis has brought unprecedented challenges and has fundamentally changed the way we live, there is no doubt that it has also created an opportunity for us all to take a closer look at how we travel or enjoy new leisure pursuits to improve our health and wellbeing.
“The pop-up cycle lanes have been a popular addition to city centre streets but nevertheless I have listened to all the feedback and that is why I am taking forward legislation, which includes a period of statutory consultation, to introduce a bus lane along the Dublin Road to assist with traffic flow for buses and emergency vehicles.
“Work will begin shortly to restore the second lane which will be available to all traffic until the statutory consultation and the legislative process on the proposed bus lane is completed.
“The existing cycle lane will be narrowed very slightly to accommodate the scheme, we will push for this work to be completed as quickly as possible and I would appeal to all road users to be patient while it is ongoing.
“I wish to thank everyone who took time to contribute to the review which demonstrated that those walking, wheeling and cycling had most benefit from the pop-up cycle lanes.
“I remain committed to enhancing our active and sustainable travel facilities which allows us to connect communities, improve our health and wellbeing and also tackle the climate crisis.”
