Agenda item

The Committee was reminded that, at the Council meeting on 3rd February, the following motion, which had been proposed by Councillor Groogan and seconded by Councillor O’Hara, had, in accordance with Standing Order 13(f), been referred to the Committee for consideration:

“This Council supports the promotion and expansion of sustainable transport in Belfast as a critical step in addressing the dangerous levels of air pollution and congestion across the City and in the context of our climate emergency.

With the appointment of a new Minister for Infrastructure, the Council should ensure that the Minister is clear about our commitment to sustainable transport options and the need for urgent action on climate.

Therefore, the Council agrees to write to the Minister to state that the Experimental Traffic Control Scheme Permitted (Taxis in Bus Lanes), which was proposed by her Department, does not have the Council’s support and to urge her to not progress this further, instead focusing efforts on further measures to enhance the provision of public transport, cycle infrastructure and pedestrian priority in the City."

            Councillor Groogan reminded the Committee that the Department for Infrastructure had, in 2017, introduced a twelve-week pilot scheme, which had granted approval for all taxis, including those for private hire, to use the Belfast Rapid Transit routes in East and West Belfast and connecting routes in the City centre. She reported that the Department had deemed the results of that scheme to be inconclusive and, as a result, had brought forward the more extensive Experimental Traffic Control Scheme (Taxis in Bus Lanes) 2018, which had the potential to run for up to twelve months and had been extended to include all bus lanes in the City. However, in the absence of a Minister, the scheme had been unable to proceed at that time. Both of the aforementioned schemes had, she pointed out, been supported by the Council.

            She explained that, should the Department for Infrastructure proceed with the proposed pilot scheme, now that a Minister was in place, the number of taxis using bus lanes would increase from 500 currently to approximately 5,000. That would have a detrimental impact upon air quality, increase traffic congestion, add to cyclists’ safety concerns and jeopardise any planned or future transport infrastructure improvements. She stressed that the promotion and expansion of sustainable transport initiatives remained the most effective way of addressing the climate emergency, traffic congestion and poor air quality and, accordingly, she urged the Committee to reconsider its current policy, endorsing the use of all taxis in bus lanes, and support her motion.   

            After discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor McLaughlin,

Seconded by Councillor Donnelly,

      That the Committee agrees to defer consideration of the motion to enable a report to be submitted to its next monthly meeting providing details of any research/data available on the impact on air quality, traffic congestion etc. of permitting all taxis to operate in bus lanes.

            On a recorded vote, nine Members voted for the proposal and seven against and it was declared carried.