Belfast city centre's northern fringe is facing traffic and parking “chaos” in coming weeks when the new University of Ulster Campus opens, a local councillor has warned.
The new UU campus opens this month in the York Street/Cathedral Quarter area, and with new student accommodation buildings opening, this north central part of the city faces significant new footfall, car commuting and parking.
At the recent full meeting of Belfast City Council, Green Councillor Mal O’Hara warned the city was unprepared for the scale of the influx. He said: “There is a big university landing in about two weeks, with 15,500 staff coming to this city on a daily basis to that new campus.
Read more: Sandy Row residents don't want "gentrification" at Weaver's Cross development, DUP says
“There are 5,000 students going to be living in significantly sized, purpose built student accommodation, beside eight lanes of traffic, on one of our main motorways. This has been signalled for years that it is coming, and what has been done?
“What has been done to improve the public realm, to look after pedestrian safety, to look after those 5,000 residents who will be living there in the next couple of weeks? Absolutely nothing.”
Councillor O’Hara said the council had written to the Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure to expedite progress on work at junctions on York Street in advance of the campus opening.
He said: “I was flabbergasted to read an article in which the Department for Infrastructure said the University of Ulster had brought forward no proposals. I know our staff worked extremely hard in the junctions working group to bring forward a range of proposals.
“In fact one was on the table in February, 18 months ago, and I believe that has gone through seven or eight different incarnations, but still no improvement has been made.”
He added: “I challenge anyone here, particularly those in North Belfast - don’t drive down here in your car - walk. Walk from Carlisle Circus to City Centre, and see the traffic chaos, the parking chaos that is already happening.
“The university isn't even not going to be fully operational for another few weeks. Those communities on the Shore Road and the New Lodge are going to be hugely impacted by this.
“Almost 40 percent of households in this city don’t have access to a car or a van, and it is much higher in the New Lodge and in Lower Shore Road. And what is going to happen? Those communities are going to be turned into free-for-all car parks. It is going to be horrific, and it is going to lead inevitably to injuries and at worst fatalities.
“In the Falls 70 percent of households don’t have access to a car or a van. But walk around the Falls for five minutes - it is an overflow car park for the Royal Victoria Hospital. Or a commuter cut through. Are we going to replicate that same issue with UU?”
He said: “The department has claimed a climate emergency, this city has claimed a climate emergency, and what are we doing, we shrug our shoulders at 15,500 new people coming on a daily basis in a few weeks time.”
Councillor O’Hara proposed an urgent meeting with the University of Ulster and the permanent secretary of the Department for Infrastructure to speed up work on junctions in the area. He received unanimous support from the chamber.
In a press statement for the campus opening, UU said: "Belfast is a 'car-free' campus with main bus and rail hubs as well as local halts in close proximity. Ulster University has worked closely with key partners and embedded key initiatives to promote sustainable travel options to staff and students.
"These include Translink journey planning advice sessions and the establishment of an active travel hub at Cathedral Gardens to promote cycling. A new Park and Ride facility has been established at Jordanstown to support staff and students making their onward journey to Belfast, (as well as) a cycling and walking access map.
"Access to car parking is based on needs-based assessment to ensure that we provide car parking facilities on Belfast campus for those whose circumstances necessitate the use of a car to travel to work or study."
It adds: "Ulster University has liaised closely with local communities and near neighbours throughout the construction process and in the preparation for opening. The university is also working with the local Area Learning Community to establish a process to enable use of the campus library by local schoolchildren.
"The university is consulting with 3,500 nearby households to plan a series of engagements and activities for the community as the campus opens. The local community will be welcomed onto campus over the coming months for engagements including school visits, arts events, research projects, shared learning opportunities and festival events."
A Department for Infrastructure spokesman last week made a statement regarding safety concerns on the nearby junction at York Street and Great Patrick Street. They said: "As with all new developments, the Ulster University is obliged to arrange for any road infrastructure improvements arising from their development.
"In this case the university did not propose any improvements to this junction. This conclusion was based on the traffic analysis undertaken by the university's consultants.
"Since that time the department has reviewed the junction layout and can confirm it complies with the national standards for this type of junction. The department plans to carry out an interim improvement scheme, which is due to start later this autumn, once traffic and pedestrian levels settle down.
"This scheme is at an early stage of development and therefore there are no artist's impressions available. The scheme will comprise improvements to the road layout, traffic signals, traffic signs and road markings."
READ NEXT:
-
Ormeau residents victory as council rejects 1am license for new £8m hotel on site of church
-
Belfast City Council looks into big investment plan for city parks
-
Belfast Bright Lights festival cancelled after public outcry
- Belfast Council warned of "crisis of confidence" in cleansing services as city labelled "dirty"
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
