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Translink ‘not consulted' about decision to shorten bus lane

Translink was not consulted about a decision by the DRD to shorten the bus lane outside Belfast's Europa Hotel.  Picture By Hugh Russell
Translink was not consulted about a decision by the DRD to shorten the bus lane outside Belfast's Europa Hotel. Picture By Hugh Russell Translink was not consulted about a decision by the DRD to shorten the bus lane outside Belfast's Europa Hotel. Picture By Hugh Russell

TRANSLINK was not formally consulted about a decision to shorten a bus lane in Belfast, it has emerged.

The Department for Regional Development announced earlier this week that the bus lane on Great Victoria Street, part of which covers the entrance to the Europa Hotel, is to be shortened by 25 metres in an attempt to "improve overall traffic management".

The move to shorten the bus lane, expected to take effect within weeks, comes as it was revealed that 5,000 drivers have been fined there in six months.

Despite canvassing the views of several bodies, including the PSNI, which said it had no objections to the change, the north's public transport operator was not asked for its opinion.

At a meeting of the DRD committee on Wednesday, MLAs expressed surprise at the omission and said that they would write to Translink requesting its views.

A spokeswoman for Translink said: "We were advised by the DRD of the proposed alteration to the length of the bus lane outside the Europa Hotel. Due to the minor nature of the alteration no formal consultation process was required."

A Transport NI spokesman said: "It was not necessary for a formal consultation as the revision would have no material effect on the operation of the bus service."

Although the DRD declined to state how many of the fines were linked to motorists attempting to enter the Europa, drivers are at present forced to turn into the bus lane in order to access the front entrance of the hotel.

Regional Development minister Michelle McIlveen confirmed that 4,934 penalty notices had been issued to motorists entering the bus lane at Great Victoria Street in six months from June to December 2015.