Glider (Belfast)

Glider is a bus rapid transit system in Belfast, Northern Ireland, designed to improve the efficiency of mass transit in the city by connecting East and West Belfast and the Titanic Quarter via the city centre. The service is operated by Translink.

There are two routes, G1 (West to East Belfast) and G2 (city centre to Titanic Quarter). The busways total 15.2 miles (24.5 km) in length using both dedicated bus lanes and mixed traffic lanes. Costing approximately £100m of public funds, construction started in 2014, and opened in late 2018. It uses a fleet of 18m-long Van Hool ExquiCity articulated buses. Weekday services run from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. (other times at weekends and public holidays), operating on a 7-9 minute interval, increasing to 4–6 minutes at peak times.

The vehicles are Van Hool ExquiCity 18 articulated buses of a so-called light tram design with three doors and approximately 18 metres (59 ft) in length. The interior is a mixture of seating and standing, plus free WiFi, USB sockets, real-time visual and audible information and CCTV. The diesel hybrid electrical engines emit a low level of pollution and noise, complying with environmental concerns.^[vague] In October 2017 the Glider vehicle was unveiled at the Busworld Europe exhibition in Belgium.

Halts along each route are approximately 400 metres apart compared to previous bus stops which were 150–250 metres apart. Halts, which are covered and have some seating and ticket machines, are 18 metres as standard but may be extended to 30 metres to allow simultaneous docking of Glider, Metro and Ulsterbus vehicles. Each halt has Kassel kerbs that allow Glider vehicles to align with the footpath to ensure quick and safe boarding and alighting. Glider vehicles on the G1 route operate between Dundonald interchange on Dunlady Road, which operates as a park and ride facility facilitating up to 519 vehicles, and runs through the city centre continuing to the West Belfast terminus at McKinstry Roundabout on Stewartstown Road. The G2 route operates from Titanic Quarter to the city centre.

Bus lanes along Glider routes operate from 07:00 to 19:00 on Monday to Saturday. The Department for Infrastructure introduced the lanes in advance of Glider services commencing. 12 hour bus lanes were introduced on 23 July 2018 in west Belfast, 30 July in East Belfast and on 6 August in the Titanic Quarter. City bound bus lanes were suspended in Titanic Quarter on 21 August following severe congestion.

The road width on the bus routes, which incorporate bus lanes and mixed traffic lanes, is designed with a minimum width of 12 metres, with each individual runway a minimum 3 metres wide. As well as the Glider vehicles, any other buses which can carry more than 8 passengers, motorcycles, bicycles, black taxis and wheelchair-accessible private hire taxis are allowed in the bus lanes during their hours of operation.

The routes were rebranded for launch on 3 September 2018. The G1 service combining the planned EWAY and WWAY routes with vehicles running between McKinstry roundabout and Dundonald via the city centre. The G2 service covers the CITI route between Titanic Quarter and city centre.

Glider G1 services link the Stewartstown Road, Andersonstown Road, Falls Road and Divis Street in the west and Albertbridge Road and Upper Newtownards Road in the east of the city passing through the city centre. It passes the Waterfront Hall and St George's Market located in Oxford Street. Lanyon Place Train Station in East Bridge Street connects Belfast with Dublin and is where the Enterprise train departs from. The Europa bus and rail centre Buscentre in Glengall Street also connects Belfast with Dublin by bus as well as the George Best Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport. Lanyon Place Station connects with the Ulster Way walking tour route. Ballyhackamore has a number of shops and dining places, and at Stormont tourists can visit the woodlands of Stormont Estate and also Northern Ireland’s main Government buildings. The Comber Greenway, a section of the National Cycle Network in development along the old Belfast-Comber railway, is available to walkers and joggers. In the west of the city terminates at McKinstry Road Roundabout near Dairy Farm. The route passes some of the West Belfast murals, which depict a part of the history and culture of Northern Ireland, and is also close to the Belfast Peace Wall, an interface between the Shankill Road and Falls Road. Historical tours are available at Milltown Cemetery and Belfast City Cemetery, and the route also connects to scenic Forest Park and Falls Park.