[citybus]

The preference for the North South route is Ormeau to Cairnshill Park & Ride in the South (which they want to expand anyway), connecting to either the Shore Road or Antrim Road in the North. The infrastructure minister will probably decide which one. This is what I know or sure.

This however is an educated guess: Presumably they will pick something easy to operate and with a similar philosophy to the existing glider, ie. no running off a main road, terminating in a park & ride within the city limits rather than blue bus country, etc. There is a notional option of going past Queens but I can't see how they would then get over to the Ormeau, University Avenue or Governors Bridge don't exactly lend themselves to bendy buses. In theory there is the option of going to Carryduff hence easing car traffic for a few extra miles, but if they nixed that a decade or two ago why would they feel differently now. Methinks they are scared of maintaining the timetable over longer distances so the northern route is likely to be the one that won't complicate things regardless of whether it has the higher demand. Four Winds, Cairnshill and Newtonbreda would lend themselves very well to feeder buses (look at a map), but you'd likely be an optimist if you were confident the frequencies would be adequate.

 

[belfastuniguy]

^^
I expect it will be an Antrim Road route for the North. Greatest potential to reduce car usage in that area. Shore Road has regular bus services and passes through areas with lower car usage.

 

[Cjmurphy85]

It’s only 1 lane from glengormley past the zoo towards park lodge school. Would the route go that way? Wouldn’t it take a huge amount of work to put bus lanes in that section?

 

[belfastuniguy]

Oh that’s a fair point, completely forgot about that section.

 

[plank007]

Wonder if something like this would work for the North - South route...

 

[belfastuniguy]

Is there any reason why the CITI route couldn't be extended to provide a circulatory route that covers TQ and QUB?

Makes more sense to expand CITI than create a fourth route.

 

[plank007]

Alternative option for the North - South Glider route....

 

[Not Tall Enough]

Is there any reason why the CITI route couldn't be extended to provide a circulatory route that covers TQ and QUB?

Makes more sense to expand CITI than create a fourth route.

The only ppl using the Citi route want to get back to the city centre as soon as possible to take another bus home. If it started going for a wonder around qub for 30 minutes people would abandon it.

 

[belfastuniguy]

The only ppl using the Citi route want to get back to the city centre as soon as possible to take another bus home. If it started going for a wonder around qub for 30 minutes people would abandon it.

What’s to stop them getting off in the CC before the bus moves onto QUB? The glider would still stop in the CC.

I’m not quite seeing your point...perhaps you’ve misunderstood my suggestion

A link between QUB and TQ makes perfect sense given the presence of ECIT and CSIT. There are massive plans as well for ECIT as well as part of the city deal.

 

[Not Tall Enough]

What’s to stop them getting off in the CC before the bus moves onto QUB? The glider would still stop in the CC.

I’m not quite seeing your point...perhaps you’ve misunderstood my suggestion

A link between QUB and TQ makes perfect sense given the presence of ECIT and CSIT. There are massive plans as well for ECIT as well as part of the city deal.

Most people who use the TQ Glider work in the science park (Gateway is faster by foot). If the TQ loop incorporated QUB then either in the morning route or the evening route will take twice as long as they go past QUB on the way from or the way to the CC. One option would be to have alternative routes so one only goes to and from CC and one incorporates the larger route.
I see the advantages of Glider going from TQ museum to the Ulster museum for tourists. But for commuters they will only want a direct bus to and from the CC as they waste enough time hoping between buses that could be 20 mins apart at times.

 

[belfastuniguy]

The route would be as it currently exists but with an extension to QUB so someone getting off a bus in the CC would still board a Glider that would take them to TQ.

Something like this;

QUB - Transport Hub (possibly) - City Centre (Wellington Pl & Chichester St) - CHSQ - Gateway - Catalyst - Gateway - Waterfront Hall - May Street - Transport Hub - QUB

The time it would take to get from CC to Catalyst would be no different to what it is now and the same for those heading from Catalyst to CC.

That to me looks like a much more sensible route and could encourage higher patronage of what is an underperforming route.

 

[plank007]

Something like this....

City Route

North - South route

South - East route

Overall route map

 

[plank007]

City Quays spur for the City Route (over new Glider, pedestrian and cycle bridge)

Overall.

 

[belfastuniguy]

Yeah exactly.

Though ideally, in my mind, Great Victoria Street would be restored to two-way traffic as they plan to do and that cuts out the need for a Dublin Road spur and quickens journey times by a couple of minutes.

 

[Not Tall Enough]

Ahh, makes sense now. They would need to widen college gardens and double yellow line it but I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard.

 

[citybus]

Ahh, makes sense now. They would need to widen college gardens and double yellow line it but I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard.

It would be Elmwood Avenue rather than College Gardens, that was the intention 12 odd years ago before they axed the southside section.

 

[plank007]

Plans to extend Glider to north and south Belfast to be submitted within months

PLANS to extend Glider buses to north and south Belfast are due to be submitted within months.

The £90 million rapid transport system currently links east and west Belfast and Titanic Quarter with the city centre.

The service, which was put into operation in September 2018, has boosted passenger numbers by 30 per cent according to figures released in September last year.

Plans to extend the Glider to north and south Belfast, together with a link to Queen's University and the City Hospital, have been included in the Belfast Region City Deal bid.

Read full article at - http://www.irishnews.com/news/north...elfast-to-be-submitted-within-months-1850685/

 

[Boba Fett22]

About time.

 

[Brooklyn518]

I understood the proposal would take Glider 2 along Bankmore Street and then on to a newly configured two-way Bruce Street, past Weavers Cross and on to the north of the city. Thereafter Ormeau Ave would become one-way river bound with dedicated cycleways similar to the plan for High St?

 

[youluckyfellow]

Will it actually touch the transport hub though?