Belfast Grand Central station
Belfast Grand Central  | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Translink rail and bus station | |||||||||
 The station at the Grosvenor Road at soft opening, 8 September 2024 | |||||||||
| General information | |||||||||
| Other names | Belfast Transport Hub | ||||||||
| Location | Weavers Cross, Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland | ||||||||
| Coordinates | 54°35′41.16″N 05°56′23.24″W / 54.5947667°N 5.9397889°W | ||||||||
| Owned by | Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company[1] | ||||||||
| Operated by | Translink | ||||||||
| Line(s) | Bangor Derry~Londonderry Dublin Larne Portadown/Newry | ||||||||
| Platforms | 8 | ||||||||
| Tracks | 8 | ||||||||
| Train operators | NI Railways Iarnród Éireann (On cross border services) [2] | ||||||||
| Bus routes |
| ||||||||
| Bus stands | 26 | ||||||||
| Bus operators | |||||||||
| Connections | Bus, Taxi, Trains, Bikes | ||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||
| Structure type | At-grade | ||||||||
| Parking | Great Northern Car Park 535 spaces 9 Handicap Spaces [3] | ||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | 300 cycle parking spaces[2] | ||||||||
| Accessible | Yes[2] | ||||||||
| Architect | John McAslan + Partners [4] | ||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||
| Fare zone | 1 [5] | ||||||||
| Website | https://www.translink.co.uk/corporate/media/pressreleases/bgcsupdates | ||||||||
| Key dates | |||||||||
| 2019 | Construction started | ||||||||
| 8 September 2024 | Soft Opening Bus Services start | ||||||||
| 13 October 2024 | Official Opening | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Belfast Grand Central station (originally the Belfast Transport Hub[6]) is a railway and bus station in the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It has replaced Great Victoria Street railway station and the Europa Buscentre.[7][8] It is built next to its predecessors, in a new neighbourhood called Weaver's Cross.[9] The first bus service, to Dublin, departed from the station on 8 September 2024, and the first rail service, also to Dublin, departed from the station on 13 October 2024.[10][11][12]
Context
[edit]The first railway station in Ulster was opened on the site of the former Great Victoria Street station in 1839 on the Ulster Railway. It became the northern terminus of the GNR's non-stop Dublin–Belfast express in 1947, and in 1962, platform 5 was removed to allow construction of a bus station providing a truly integrated bus-rail station for the first time in Belfast's history.[13] Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) closed the railway part of the station altogether in 1976 and the original buildings were demolished, being replaced by the Europa Hotel and Great Northern Mall. Railway services resumed, however, in 1995 with the opening of a rebuilt Great Victoria Street station, integrated with the Europa Buscentre.[14]
Station location and facilities
[edit]The station is located on a 8-hectare (860,000 sq ft) site owned by The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (trading as Translink) between the former Europa Buscentre and Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station,[2] both of which it replaces.[9] The station's capacity is designed to cater for twenty million passenger journeys annually, more than the twelve million combined capacity of the pre-existing bus and railway station.[9] In addition to rail and bus improvements, the station also has cycle and taxi provision for enhanced connectivity, with 300 cycle parking spaces.[15][16]It is said to be the "largest integrated transport facility on the island of Ireland".[15] During construction the transport hub was described as one of the Northern Ireland Executive's "flagship projects".[16]
Railway station
[edit]The new station has eight platforms[8] (double that of Great Victoria Street and Belfast Lanyon Place), composed of four island platforms with two faces each. Two of these islands are short and two long.[17] Like the former Great Victoria Street, it is the terminus of Northern Ireland Railways' Derry, Larne, Bangor and Newry lines. This also means that the Portadown to Bangor route no longer has direct through traffic and is divided into two separate lines. The Enterprise express service to Dublin has moved from Lanyon Place as part of the project, meaning the flagship express service between Belfast and Dublin terminates here.[18]
Bus station
[edit]
The bus station features 26 stands, eight more than the previous Europa Bus Centre. Seating is available throughout, with priority seating at select stands. The station also offers a range of amenities, including ATMs, vending machines, automated ticket machines, a help desk, a water refill station, and a sensory pod. There are accessible male and female restrooms, as well as Changing Places facilities.
Weaver's Cross
[edit]The area surrounding the hub will become a new neighbourhood which Translink has named 'Weaver's Cross'.[19] This 100,000 m2 site is planned to comprise leisure, residential and commercial facilities.[20][21] Some of the proposals for the neighbourhood were described as "bleak" due to the plan's use of tall buildings and little space in between, with Belfast's Orange Order being among the objectors.[22]
Station Quarter
[edit]Weaver's Cross, combined with the station and a rejuvenated Glengall Street, Hope Street and Durham Street, will become Station Quarter, Belfast's ninth Cultural Quarter.[23]
Progress
[edit] | This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: Needs to be updated now that this is largely past tense.. (October 2024) |
By February 2021, the first stage of enabling works was completed by construction contractor company Graham Construction,[24][25] clearing the 8-hectare (860,000 sq ft) for construction.[26] The next stage of development from February 2021, involves the relocating of bus engineering and operation facilities to new accommodation, and the construction of a new bus wash facility, engineering garage, storage facilities and a bus parking area.[26] The Main Works and Infrastructure enhancement phases of the project are expected to be conducted in 2022.[26] The project was due for completion in 2024/2025.[9][26] The project was said to potentially create 400 jobs over a five-year period.[27]
The main works of the project was delivered by a joint venture of Farrans Construction and Sacyr, with railway system works by Babcock.[28] The Busway Bridge was completed in August 2023.[29]
In April 2024, it was announced that Great Victoria Street station would close permanently on 10 May, several months before the new Grand Central station opens in autumn 2024.
On 29 May 2024, the first "The Grand Connection Roadshow" was held at Lanyon Place Train Station to communicate plans for the facility. The roadshow toured various locations throughout Northern Ireland, including shopping centres and train and bus stations.[30]
On 3 July 2024, Translink closed the rail line between Lisburn and Belfast Lanyon Place to facilitate the Grand Central enabling works scheduled for the summer. All stations between these two points were closed, with a temporary shuttle service running between Portadown and Lisburn. Enterprise passengers traveling to/from Belfast took a bus to/from Newry train station.[31]
On 8 July 2024, Translink launched a video series across all its social media channels titled "The Grand Connection: Behind the Scenes at Belfast Grand Central Station." These videos showcase the progress made since the closure of Great Victoria Street station in May and highlight how stakeholders and interest groups contributed to the station's development. To date there have been 11 of these videos posted[32]
On 13 August 2024, the first trains began arriving at the station for driver training runs. A NIR 4000 Class train was observed operating these runs between Belfast Lanyon Place and Belfast Grand Central and Adelaide Depot.[33][34]
On 19 August 2024, Translink announced that bus operations at Belfast Grand Central will commence on Sunday, 8 September, 2024. The final day of operations at the Europa Buscentre will be Saturday, 7 September, 2024.
On 4 September 2024, Translink invited the press for a final preview of Grand Central Station before its official opening. It also announced that the station's first departure would the X1 Goldline bus service to Dublin Busáras via Sprucefield Shopping Centre (Lisburn), Kenlis Street (Banbridge), Newry Bus Station and Dublin Airport, scheduled for 8 September 2024 at 05:00 UTC+1.[35][36]
On 8 September 2024, Belfast Grand Central welcomed its first passengers, with services to Dublin Busáras via Dublin Airport and Belfast International Airport. According to BBC Northern Ireland, Amir Kumat was the first passenger to enter the station, heading for Belfast International Airport. Additionally, the Europa Buscentre has now been converted into a walk through corridor, connecting Belfast Grand Central to Great Victoria Street.[37][38][39]
On 23 September 2024, the cross-border Enterprise service began trial runs at the new station, where it will relocate from Belfast Lanyon Place.[40]
On 3 October 2024, Translink announced that train services at Belfast Grand Central Station would commence on 13 October 2024. This marks the reopening of the Belfast to Lisburn Line.
Rail services began operating from the station on Sunday, October 13th, 2024. The first departure was the 08:05 Enterprise service to Dublin Connolly, with a once-a-week stop at Lisburn and Lurgan, continuing on to Portadown, Newry, Dundalk Clarke, Drogheda MacBride, and finally, Dublin Connolly. The first arrival was the 09:15 Translink NI Railways service from Portadown. On board this train was the Minister for Infrastructure, John O'Dowd. Also present at the commencement of services was Translink's CEO, Chris Conway. The first 2000 passengers to use the station received a commemorative ticket.[41][42][43][44]
Controversies
[edit]Some issues with the scheme have arisen, including:
- The planning permission, granted in 2019 for the construction of the new Belfast Transport Hub,[45] included a provision for the removal of the Boyne Bridge, where a bridge was originally built in 1863 to span the railway line leading into Great Victoria Street station, with the current bridge dating to 1936.[46] The bridge is to be replaced by a four-lane road with crossing points for pedestrians and there is to be a new plaza and event-space called Saltwater Square leading up to the entrance of Belfast Grand Central station.[47] Some residents from the Sandy Row district, which lies at the southern end of the Boyne Bridge, as well as architectural and heritage campaigners, opposed the decision to dismantle the bridge on grounds of pedestrian safety and of the "bleakness" of architecture of the proposed Saltwater Square and also because of the bridge's place in the history of Belfast's development.[22] The Sandy Row end of the Boyne Bridge, at its junction with Hope St, contains remnants of a bridge built in 1642, originally named the Great Bridge and later renamed the Saltwater Bridge, spanning marshy and sandy land and, which local folklore describes as having been ridden over by King William of Orange as he passed through Belfast on his way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.[48] During the construction works in 1936, workmen unearthed wooden pipes that had been made by boring through whole tree-trunks and then connected together using iron fixings. These were understood to be part of the first attempt, in 1680, to pipe a reliable source of clean, fresh water to the new town of Belfast.[49]
- The lack of integration with the new Glider rapid transport system, criticised as a missed opportunity for the transport hub nature of Grand Central.[50]
- The replacement of the large roof covering the railway platforms in the original plans with smaller canopies over each island platform sparked an outcry among railway campaigners. Translink responded, stating that the changes to the roof design of the new Belfast Grand Central Station were driven by considerations of "best design, passenger comfort, and air quality."[51]
- The absence of Irish language signage has disappointed Irish language campaigners, with Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin from An Dream Dearg stating, "This is not just a transport hub for Belfast; it serves people from across the entire island of Ireland. It's crucial that it reflects our identity as a city." A Translink spokesperson responded: "Translink is continuing to engage with all interested parties regarding multi-lingual signage at Belfast Grand Central Station for the official opening in the autumn of 2025."On September 12th, an Irish language protest took place at Grand Central Station, with a large An Dream Dearg banner displayed across the station floor. Protesters of all ages participated, holding signs with station names written in Irish. Eoghan Ó Gairmile from An Dream Dearg expressed their frustration, stating, That they deeply disappointed to see the new Grand Central Station launch without any provision for dual-language signage.[52][53][54][55][56]
- Some have complained that traffic has become congested around the new station during rush hour, with buses delayed by over 60 minutes or being cancelled. John O'Dowd, acknowledged that the new station has contributed to the issue but also highlighted the ongoing resurfacing work on the Sydenham Bypass as a significant factor.[57][58][59]
Services
[edit]Rail services
[edit]Grand Central acts as the terminus for all active railway lines in Northern Ireland, with the exception of the Coleraine-Portrush line.
On the Bangor Line, the station operates a half-hourly stopping service to Bangor on weekdays and Saturdays, with additional express services at peak times. On Sundays, the line reduces to hourly operation between Grand Central and Bangor.
The Derry~Londonderry Line operates an hourly service to Derry~Londonderry on weekdays and Saturdays, with some extra peak services terminating at Coleraine. On Sundays, this services remains hourly, however the terminus alternates every hour between Derry~Londonderry and Portrush. This results in only a two-hourly service to all stations beyond Coleraine.
The Enterprise currently operates as a two-hourly service on the Dublin Line to Dublin Connolly every day of the week. The Enterprise is due to upgrade to an hourly service operating on weekdays and Saturdays from 29 October 2024. The Sunday service will remain two-hourly.
On the Larne Line, the station operates half-hourly services on weekdays and Saturdays. The terminus for these services alternates every half-hour between Larne Harbour and Whitehead. Additional peak-time services operate to Carrickfergus and Larne Town. This pattern results in an hourly service to Larne Harbour. The service reduces to hourly after 7pm. On Sundays, an hourly service runs on this line with the same alternating terminus pattern - this has the effect of providing a two-hourly service to all stations beyond Whitehead.
The Newry Line operates a half-hourly stopping service to Portadown on weekdays and Saturdays, with additional services (some operating as expresses) at peak times to Lisburn and Newry. On Sundays the line reduces to hourly operation between Grand Central and Portadown, with Newry only being served by the last train of the day. No trains stop at Scarva and Poyntzpass on Sundays.
Bus services
[edit]The first bus to use Grand Central's bus station was the X1 Goldline bus service to Dublin Busáras on 8 September 2024.[35][60][61]
Gallery
[edit]-
Belfast Grand Central on the 10th of January 2023 -
Looking at BGC from the former railway station Great Victoria street -
Inside Belfast Grand Central
_Construction_Progress.jpg)
References
[edit]- ^ "Information about ownership". whatdotheyknow.co.uk. Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company. 17 June 2024. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Belfast Grand Central Station". www.translink.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "Great Northern Car Park". 3 June 2024. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Grand Central". mcaslan.co.uk. John McAslan + Partners. 19 May 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "iLink Zone information". translink.co.uk. Translink. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Belfast Transport Hub to be called Grand Central Station". 8 April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ "Work on £175m Belfast transport hub to start in 2018, says Translink boss". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ a b Corscadden, Jane (7 April 2022). "Translink announces name of new Belfast transport hub". BelfastLive. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Belfast Transport Hub to be called Grand Central Station". BBC News. 8 April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ MacAuley, Conor. "New £340m transport hub a 'game changer' for Belfast". RTÉ.ie.
- ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp39pp0yepwo
- ^ "Belfast Grand Central Station to be a 'game-changer' for public transport".
- ^ Sinclair, Ian (2009). Along UTA Lines. Newtownards: Colourpoint. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-906578-49-7.
- ^ "Geograph:: Great Victoria Street railway station – Belfast [56 photos] in J3373". www.geograph.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Minister Mallon cuts sod on the new Belfast Transport Hub". Department for Infrastructure. 18 March 2022. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Work begins on new Belfast transport hub". Belfast Media Group. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "Belfast Transport Hub - Future Belfast". www.futurebelfast.com. 31 January 2016. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
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- ^ a b Kenwood, Michael (30 June 2022). "Belfast Orange Order among objectors to "bleak" plan for Weaver's Cross". BelfastLive. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
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- ^ Kennedy, Catherine (17 February 2022). "Main construction to begin on £175M Belfast transport hub". New Civil Engineer. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "Busway Bridge opens ahead of Belfast Grand Central Station completion". www.arup.com. Retrieved 27 December 2023.[permanent dead link]
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- ^ "BGCS Works". translink.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
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- ^ Train Videos NI (13 August 2024). NIR 4000 Class DMU 4001 on Driver Training Test runs into Belfast Grand Central station. 12/8/24. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024 – via YouTube.
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- ^ "Belfast Grand Central Station to be a 'game-changer' for public transport". Irish Independent. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "Belfast Grand Central Station welcomes first customers". The Irish News. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "Belfast: Grand Central Station opens to the public". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
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- ^ https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/watch-first-enterprise-train-move-29988370
- ^ Corscadden, Jane (13 October 2024). "Trains up and running at new Belfast station as first services arrive". Belfast Live. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "O'Dowd welcomes commencement of rail services at Grand Central Station". Infrastructure. 13 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp39pp0yepwo
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- ^ Loudon, Jack (1940). In search of water, a history of the Belfast Water Supply. Belfast: Belfast City and Distict Water Commissioners. pp. 1–11.
- ^ "Belfast rapid transit Glider bus revealed ... but passengers face walk to transport hub". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Translink defend design change to Belfast Grand Central Station as campaigners launch roof petition". The Irish News. 9 November 2023. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ 6.7K views · 159 reactions | Irish language activists protest at Grand Central Station over Irish language signs. 🎥 Mal McCann | By Irish News | Facebook. Retrieved 7 October 2024 – via www.facebook.com.
- ^ "Michelle O'Neill wades into dispute after Irish language protest at new Belfast station | Cartlann na Meán | An Dream Dearg". www.dearg.ie (in Irish). Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ "Irish Language: Protests over signs at Grand Central Station". BBC News. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ "BREAKING: Irish language activists stage rush-hour takeover of new Grand Central Station". Belfast Media Group. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ Simpson, Mark [@BBCMarkSimpson] (4 September 2024). "There's been criticism from @dreamdearg because Irish is not part of main signage at Belfast's new Grand Central Station. Response here from Translink. ⤵️" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 September 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Records broken with a stand out single day for Belfast traffic jams in September". The Irish News. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Belfast traffic congestion linked to Grand Central Station works, Minister admits". Yahoo News. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
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- ^ "BELFAST - GLASGOW EXPRESS" (PDF).
External links
[edit]
Media related to Belfast Grand Central station at Wikimedia Commons
Railway stations served by NI Railways | |
|---|---|
| Bangor Line | |
| Derry~Londonderry Line | |
| Larne Line | |
| Newry/Portadown Line | |
| Portrush Line | |
| Dublin Line1 | |
1 Services jointly operated with Iarnród Éireann under the Enterprise brand Rail transport in Ireland | |
Railway stations served by Iarnród Éireann  | |
|---|---|
| Belfast Line1 | |
| Cork Line | |
| Galway Line | |
| Sligo Line | |
| Rosslare Line |
|
| Waterford Line | |
| Tralee Line | |
| Limerick–Galway Line | |
| Limerick–Waterford Line | |
| Westport Line | |
| Ballina Line | |
| Midleton Line | |
| Cobh Line | |
| Howth Line | |
| M3 Parkway line | |
| Limerick–Ballybrophy line | |
1 Cross-border services jointly operated with NI Railways under the Enterprise brand Rail transport in Ireland | |