The business case for Glider routes to North and South Belfast is now at an "advanced stage", according to Northern Ireland transport chiefs.
But the Department for Infrastructure has been slammed for not moving quick enough in a climate emergency.
Plans for a range of proposed new routes were revealed during two virtual public meetings hosted by the Green Party and SDLP last September.
Read more: Translink looking at options for zero-emission trains
The information sessions saw Belfast Rapid Transport 2 programme manager Clive Robinson and transport planning consultant, Damian Murray from Atkins, outline the proposed routes.
Those on the table will take the Glider from O’Neill Road north of the city to Cairnshill in the south, but did not extend as far out as Carryduff or Glengormley.
The two men took questions from the public during the online information sessions during which a number of concerns were raised.
These included no plans to link the Glider routes to Belfast’s new £175million transport hub.
People from across NI were then invited to have their say on the proposals, with the final public consultation "approaching final draft stage".
We reported earlier this year how the majority on the streets of Carryduff and Glengormley would like to see rapid transport project extended to their suburbs.
A Department for Infrastructure spokesperson said: " Work on the Public Consultation Report is approaching final draft stage. Further development of the Outline Business Case, which will help inform selection of the preferred route, is also well advanced. At this stage, it is too early to provide a timeline for the preferred route announcement."
Alliance South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw is again calling for the south route to extend to Carryduff.
She told Belfast Live: "I welcome that the Department is making progress on a Glider service for South Belfast and will be examining the business case closely. These plans must be future-proofed and take into account changing demographics and increased demand, particularly in relation to Carryduff.
" Any plans that would see the Glider terminate at Cairnshill Park & Ride would be short-sighted and would fail to address the scale of change that is needed to address the climate crisis. It is essential that we encourage more people to use public transport by anticipating demand and in this case, there is a clear need to extend the plans for the South Belfast Glider to Carryduff with an associated new Park & Ride."
Green Party NI deputy leader, Cllr Mal O'Hara, would like to see the route north reach as far as Glengormley.
He said: "It is welcome that the Public Consultation Report is approaching a final draft stage and that the Outline Business Case is at an advanced stage. However, this is not the pace of change that is needed in a climate emergency. The consultation closed last October.
"I shaped City Council’s response with some key asks; including extension to Carryduff and Glengormely, bus priority along considered routes, living rooves on new infrastructure and the roll out of residential parking schemes as part of any development of the Glider Phase 2. I am hopeful that the Department will listen to the political will of Belfast City Council.
"We know that the air in Belfast is toxic and breaches European legal limits. We know that Belfast is a car dependent city, often crippled by gridlock and congestion. We know that 23% of our emissions in the City are from transport. These issues can be addressed by encouraging people to shift from the private car to more sustainable modes of transport and key to that is offering effective and reliable options.
"The Glider Phase 2 can be part of that solution, but the Department and new Minister must prioritise it. The timeline of 2027 before Phase 2 is operational is already too far away. The Minister should expediate this entire process."
Proposed South Belfast Glider route and G2 extension
- South Route – Ormeau Road - Running from the existing G1/G2 network at City Hall along Great Victoria Street, Bruce Street, Bankmore Link (proposed new public transport and active travel link) to Ormeau Road then continuing from Ormeau Road to Ravenhill Road intersection and along the Saintfield Road to Cairnshill Park & Ride.
- G2 Extension - This route forms an extension to the existing G2 service (which connects Belfast City Centre to Titanic Quarter)running from the existing G1/G2 network at City Hall along Great Victoria Street, Bruce Street, Dublin Road, University Road, Elmwood Avenue and returning to the City Centre via Lisburn Road and Great Victoria Street. This route serves to link Glider with Queen’s University and Belfast City Hospital.
Proposed North Belfast Glider routes
- North Route (Antrim Road) - Running from the existing G1/G2 network at City Hall along Donegall Place and Royal Avenue. From here it uses Donegall Street to access Clifton Street and then from Carlisle Circus continues along the Antrim Road to a proposed new Transport Hub / Park & Ride facility on O’Neill Road.
- North Route – (Shore Road Option A) - Running from the existing G1/G2 network at City Hall along Donegall Place and Royal Avenue to York Street. From here it runs along York Road and Shore Road to Longwood Road. It then continues along Longwood Road and Church Road to a proposed new Transport Hub / Park & Ride facility on O’Neill Road.
- North Route – (Shore Road Option B) - Running from the existing G1/G2 network at City Hall along Donegall Place and Royal Avenue to York Street. From here it runs along York Road and Shore Road to Longwood Road terminating at a proposed new Transport Hub / Park & Ride facility adjacent to the Abbeycentre.
Read more: Latest on new Glider routes as transport bosses looking at 1,200 responses
Read more: Glider: North and South Belfast plans laid out in public meetings online
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