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New bus lanes for west Belfast announced

New bus lanes on Belfast's Falls Road (pictured) will come into operation on November 2<br />&nbsp;
New bus lanes on Belfast's Falls Road (pictured) will come into operation on November 2
 
New bus lanes on Belfast's Falls Road (pictured) will come into operation on November 2
 

OPERATING times for bus lanes could stretch to 12-hour periods when a major new public transport scheme is introduced in 2018.

The Department of Regional Development has signalled its intention to change the operating hours of the bus lanes to 7am to 7pm, to coincide with the commencement of the Belfast Rapid Transit Scheme (BRT) in three years time.

It comes as new bus lanes for west Belfast, located between the Grosvenor Road and Whiterock Road, were announced.

They will be introduced on November 2 and will operate city-bound and country-bound, from 7.30am to 9.30am and from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.

The department said the new lanes are part of the BRT scheme.

A DRD spokesperson said: "New measures which support our bus services help to promote public transport and provide an attractive option for those travelling along this route. These new bus lanes will help to provide a more reliable service which will benefit the large numbers of public transport passengers using this route."

The BRT route will run from McKinstry Road roundabout, via Colin Town Centre, Stewartstown Road, Andersonstown Road, Falls Road and Divis Street, to the city centre.