Northern Ireland

Three Belfast bus lanes will soon operate for 12 hours rather than 24 hours

More than 2,000 people were fined last year for driving in Belfast city centre bus lanes between the hours of midnight and 6am
More than 2,000 people were fined last year for driving in Belfast city centre bus lanes between the hours of midnight and 6am
By Maeve Connolly

THREE contentious bus lanes will operate for 12 hours a day rather than 24 hours from Monday January 23.

  • East Bridge Street - it will operate from 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday inclusive. During that time only buses and cycles can use the bus lane
  • Saintfield Road - 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday for buses, cycles, motor cycles and public hire taxis
  • Upper Newtownards Road - 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday for buses, cycles, motor cycles and public hire taxis only

Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard said bus lanes are "vital".

“Filling one bus with passengers equates to the removal of around 50 cars from our roads - that is a queue of cars about 1/3 km long," he said. 

"The new operational times will begin on Monday 23 January and I know will be welcomed by many who use these busy routes through the city.”

In December the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce said many of Belfast’s bus lanes should be scrapped.