Agenda item

In pursuance of the Committee’s decision of 16th January, to receive a presentation from representatives of the Department for Regional Development on the Rapid Transit Study (report herewith)

            Pursuant to the Committee’s decision of 16th January, the Members were advised that representatives from the Department for Regional Development were in attendance to address them regarding the Rapid Transit Study.  Accordingly, Mr. Mike Thompson, Director of the Regional Planning and Transportation Division, together with Messrs. Gavin Hamilton, Gregor Kerr and Alan Preston were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman. 

            Mr. Thompson reminded the Committee that the Department had published the previous day the results of the Feasibility Study, which had been undertaken by Atkins Limited and KPMG, into the provision of the rapid transit network in the Greater Belfast Area.  He indicated that the Minister for Regional Development was keen to engage with key stakeholders, such as the Council, regarding the various proposals contained within the Study and that no decisions had yet been taken.  He pointed out that the intention to provide a rapid transit system in Belfast complemented the Council’s promotion of a quality public transport infrastructure as part of its State of the City Initiative.  The benefits for Belfast of a rapid transit system included:

·         moving people quickly across the City;

·         providing the City with an efficient modern transportation system;

·         improving the City’s image; and

·         assisting the City’s regeneration.

            Mr. Thompson informed the Members that the companies which had been appointed to undertake the Study had been requested to find the best system for Belfast and to examine available technology, preferred routes, customer demand and estimated cost.  To this end, light rail and bus systems had been examined and the Study had concluded that approximately six hundred more passengers per hour could use a rail system rather than a bus-based system during the morning peak periods.  However, with capital costs of £147m compared to £590m and annual operating costs of £1.44m compared to £6.78m, a bus-based system was the preferred option.  The Study had indicated that the system should be designed to ensure that it could allow for migration to light rail, if passenger numbers warranted such a move. 

            He informed the Members that the Study had concluded that the following three routes should be developed as a pilot operation:

(i)    Dundonald to the City centre, due to the availability of the former Comber railway line;

(ii)    Titanic Quarter to the City centre and onwards to Queen’s University, due to the forthcoming developments within the Quarter and the availability of a financial contribution from the developer.  The Study had indicated that this route would provide the most economic gain; and

(iii)   City centre to the Royal Victoria Hospital and onwards into West Belfast, since the Royal Group of Hospitals accounted for the greatest volume of traffic movements in terms of vehicles, pedestrians and buses in Belfast.

            Mr. Thompson stated that the Government’s commitment to the provision of a rapid transit system for Belfast was supported by the fact that it had been included in the Programme for Government.  In addition, some £12m had been allocated to it in the current Budget and £99m had been allocated to the scheme in the Investment Strategy.  He stated that the next steps involved detailed discussions with the key organisations, including the Council, a Ministerial decision and detailed designs being prepared, with a view to work commencing on the ground by 2011.

            In response to Members’ questions, Mr. Thompson indicated that:

(i)    the former Comber railway line would be utilised by both the rapid transit system and the Connswater Community Greenway scheme.  He accepted that some of the residents of East Belfast might be disappointed with the inclusion of the rapid transit system in what was a green/open space but pointed out that the Department had prevented any development on the route of the disused line for a lengthy period of time with such a transportation scheme in mind;

(ii)    the routes to be included in the pilot exercise had been chosen by the Department of Regional Development;

(iii)   the Department was well aware that the pilot network did not include any routes in the North and South of the City.  However, parts of those areas were already served by motorways and railway lines and the Department was attempting to establish additional quality bus corridors.  In addition, discussions had already been held with the Department for Social Development regarding the possible provision of a rapid transit system to the Crumlin Road Gaol Site;

(iv)  consideration had been given to extending the Titanic Quarter route to the George Best Belfast City Airport but the Study had indicated that there would be no economic benefit to this;

(v)   discussions would require to be held with various interested organisations, including the Council, regarding the necessity for the rapid transit system to cross the redeveloped Public Realm areas within the City centre.  However, he was confident that, since there were a number of four lane roads in the City centre, any difficulties regarding this could be resolved; and

(vi)  the three pilot routes would converge in a yet to be determined location in the City centre to enable people to travel easily across the City.

            At the conclusion of the presentation, the Chairman thanked the representatives from the Department of Regional Development for attending the meeting and for the manner in which they had answered the questions from the Members.  The deputation then retired from the meeting.

            Following discussion, the Committee noted the contents of the presentation regarding the rapid transit study and the comments thereon of Mr. Thompson.