The Luas Light Rail system in Dublin carries nearly as many passengers as the entire Irish Rail network and this includes the very busy DART system. People want trams and will use them. Light Rail is being planned for Cork which is smaller than Belfast. So GLR is no brainer.
So in the republic of Ireland there would be a higher possibility that would happen then as past of Britain.😁 Allways astonished me how London has such a huge Metro-Network, Suburban Rails (Overg, Thamsl., Elisab.-Line), Trams in south and the whole extensive DLR in the east. Were other bigger british Citys have (At least again) 1,2 or 3 Tramlines at most. Ok theres Glasgow with the ancient Circle-Metro, Newcastle and Liverpools Mersey-Metro/Rail...Ofcourse, London is a lot bigger then the rest, but compared to german or french citys urban transport is really still rather poor in Britain!
Great video. Would love a tram or five in Belfast. Would love a video on the proposed route for glider to Carryduff covering how the route would deal with the numerous pinch points along this route. If the G3 and the Ballynahinch bypass were ever built my daily commute would be approximately 30 minutes faster per day!! My only point about closing the westlink sliproads is that it would make access to the hospitals and access for delivery vehicles very difficult Also that Taxpayer accent was spot on and very unexpected ahaha. We also need an overhaul and rethink on the Belfast bikes. There's not enough setdown locations nor maintenance on the bikes themselves.
I go running near catalyst/amazon to heron road. It’s a train to nowhere. Nobody lives there and the offices aren’t busy enough to justify a tram. The other problem with trams is that they can’t be re-routed. Northern Ireland is so unstable that buses regularly need to be diverted. How do you do that with a tram?
Buses need to be rerouted due to collisions and road works, tramways don't have those issues as cars don't run on them ( or at least, they shouldn't). Citing 'demand' at a single halt as a reason why it shouldn't be considered is also a major misconception, but since we're talking demand, a direct connection between Grand Central Station and one of Northern Ireland's biggest tourist attractions is more than enough of this so-called 'demand' that everybody thinks is so important. In reality, induced-demand would be the byproduct of such a service, and would likely lead to the rapid justification of its existence.
Just a note, the North-South Glider plan was extended from the Park & Ride at Cairnshill, up to the near town of Carryduff. Would love to see your interpretation of how a “G3” route would be mapped, as well as a G2 extension. Great video!
I don’t understand why you want to keep the “loop-like” route near city centre. G2 runs in the current loop configuration only because it’s a bus and because of the one way system near Donegall Square. If the whole square is being pedestrianised the light rail can just run two-way on the north side of the square. The same applies to the river crossing, the light rail can just run two-way along QE Bridge and then along the bank.
SImply-put, keeping the 'loop' would help drive home the pedestrianisation of the area whilst reducing the need for a reversal of service and allowing for and easily expanded network towards Queen's University.
Another fantastic video cant wait for Belfast to get light rail again im a Dubliner the luas trams now carry over 40+million passangers per year yet we had a lot of nimbys and whingers against the network saying it was a waste of money yet it came in on budget something never happens with other major progects here loved the video hope your great ideas become a reality
I appreciate the I put from a Dubliner! Light rail is always worth it, the biggest hurdle is breaking the fear of spending the time and money to construct the systems. The DFI desperately need to look at the success of the Department of Transport on your side of the border and invest properly in light, heavy and commuter rail.
On my first trip on the Red Luas line, on the first day of operation. I heard someone say, that it should have been build as a guild bus way. But the first problem with that, is that buses don't encough people out of their cars in the same way as trams and trains do. The second problem is that in the years we have had snow in Dublin since the Luas started, bus were stopped early in the day, were as the Dart and Luas were able to still run. Some people like to talk as if they know what they are talking about, when they really don't know what they are talking about.
Excellent video. Let's hope someone at DFI pays attention. Their apparent veneration of Robert Moses suggests they will do their best to remain in the 20th Century. Unfortunately for everyone. Have followed several of "FundTheNINE's" vids and enjoyed all. Those interested in assorted transit topics will find several on RU-vid, two of my favorites are Reese Martin at "RM Transit" and Jago Hazzard.
Great video!!! Very informative and shows a very positive vision for a new, vibrant Belfast as a key part of a broader rethinking of the city with pedestrianisation, covering over the Westlink (think Rose Kennedy park in Boston), maybe eventually uncovering the Farset River in High Street, future parks beside St Anne's, bridges in Sailortown, new stations and a Circle Line rail network, etc etc etc... hopefully those in power are watching. It would be great see how the GLR (or Luas Belfast) would be completed with the Glider line that heads west and the lines planned for north and south Belfast, with City Hall acting as a central hub to which the spokes converge. Also potential lines that reuse former rail lines, ie the Comber greenway (sorry walkers and cyclists, but needs must!!).
I remember being on a tram in Castle Place. Trams need both overhead and ground infrastructure. The old Trolleybuses only needed overhead, and you got a free light show to go with it.
I know, but the road will need to be resurfaced at some stage, and if you want to separate the tram and traffic you won’t need a surface for cars either.
@@anoniaino Trolleybuses are used on ordinary roads and do not have rails imbedded in the ground. They have rubber tyres like any lorry and receive their power from overhead. If you want to completely separate the two systems, then you would have to knock down large areas of a city.
I’m not suggesting trolley buses are bad and we shouldn’t use them. There’s just more space available for public transport lines in our cities than you might think.
Mmm..IMO placing the trams in and replacing the 2 inner road lanes is a feasible one (as per many continental cities eg Amsterdam). Also an inner Belfast congestion charge (as in London). We have to get by carrot and stick, people out of their selfish polluting cars in inner cities.
I think the “car is the devil” approach is a very selfish one in and of itself. While public transport is of course a much better option for big cities, there is always a place for cars, they revolutionised the planet and society more than anything else could have over 100 years. Or the internal combustion engine vehicle did at very leas. let’s not forget that the electricity used to power the trams will partly be produced by fossil fuels, as well as the production of the trams and the rails and the work to fit the network. Those who work on the trams, drivers, shutters, cleaners etc etc need to be in place before the trams leave in the morning so need their own transport. Also ALL of this idea/documentary is focused on a small line from east to the city centre…..a distance that could be walked. What about the north? West? Newtownabbey? and further? This idea of “less cars is good at all costs” is not a good idea unless every single hiccup, speed bump, hurdle and ending figure has been calculated, and then all the carbon emissions for he production of a tram network abs then an accurate yearly emissions for the running of it compared to vehicles, most of which under 100gm/km of co2. This isn’t as easy as cars gone, problem fixed? Not even slightly! Another problem we have is, while the money saving figures documented here sound good, well roadside recovery is not something most people have, insurance is variable, fuel usage is variable but more than that, if someone lives in say, knockngoney….are they to walk the first mile or 2 or 3 to the tram stop in -5°c temperatures at 5am on Icy paths during a bad winter and the same back again? Are they really going to do that if they have a car at their door for a comparative difference of about £3 per day given the figures quoted here? I don’t think so. And the well we’ll just make it illegal to drive here, here and here approach, well this isn’t a tyranny, it’s a system of governance of a group of people, if the majority don’t want it, It won’t happen, for politicians won’t want to get voted out on a manifesto the people will refuse to support. I say, yes, go ahead with all the proposed improvements to rail, Bus abs roads and even light rail if the funding is there, but do it as a stand alone venture to make life easier (in some instances) for the population, not as a weapon to say, “when trans are in, you and your evil cars are out” that is an approach that will not serve anyone well. Just remember the car is your friend, If you or a family member needed to get to hospital at short notice and no ambulance is available as a small example. And everything you are around you, buildings, roads, electricity, lights, food ok the shelves every time you enter a shop, it’s ALL dependant on the internal combustion engine. And until a reliable (at least If not more reliable than what we have now) is invented and tested to work then we should not demonise what serves us.
Thanks for letting us know Michael. Unfortunately there isn't much of a way to report such a bug from my end, but you could try turning off the notifications and back on again, that could fix any glitch on RU-vids's end 👍🏻
Have you considered the novel cost cutting tram technologies being developed for the nascent Coventry Very Light Rail system at BCIMO in Dudley, West Midlands? The low-cost track system might be particularly appropriate.
Yes I have considered VLR for a long time. THe issue with VLR is that I do not think it would have the capacity to cope with a passenger volume like that of Belfast's, in particular the G2 route. VLR tends to run small, compact cars that have a capacity of say some 50~ people. At peak times especially, such a small capacity system would not be able to cope and would present a risk of a 'crush' at halts. Unless a VLR system is capable of running long, walkthrough trams, it wouldn't be a viable option for my kind of scope and scale.
Great video as always. I wholeheartedly agree with this proposal, and I especially like the idea of removing urban motorways. Trams are what cities need.
Thank you Anoniaino, ther truth is that most people would be overjoyed to see trams make a return to Belfast's streets. We just seem to have the only government in the world that doesn't like the idea of spending money, at least not on public transport infrastructure projects. *cough* York Street Interchange *cough*
Do I remember hearing that you'd managed to lay your hands on the NINE proposal? Might it be an idea for a video to go over those proposals and compare how well they match to what you are today proposing?
Light rail would offer Belfast a new different way of travel. If designed correctly in the narrow streets that Belfast has, Metre gauge electric traction would offer this. Metre gauge also offers various types of tram as seen in city's like in Poland and Germany. Trams can offer a excellent passenger transportation in pedestrian precints taking passengers direct to the shops where they wish to go. Do not make the mistakes, that have been made elsewhere, where trams were not taken into these important pedestrian areas. This has caused many schemes to be stopped, and is really the best way forward. Remember traffic conditions have been correctly solved elsewhere, look again in Poland and Germany. I have advised elsewhere with my knowledge of the problems seen and can be easily achieved. A real map of the proposals would have been helpful. You mention using trams on bridges, please be aware that the bridge must be strong enough to carry the weight of light tram. Some proposals in city's have now allowed for this problem. I look forward to following the development you are proposing.
Brilliant video! It stands great on its own though- I think I'd get more traction if you'd named the other two history of Belfast transport and just linked them as a card in this video. Why not build the light rail to Irish gauge and give it space for a mainline connection so it can have later tram-train connections or access maintenance facilities?
The only things I've ever thought about to make Belfast get more attraction was building an underground railway system, making the buildings taller and look like they're from New York & refurbishing the obel tower to look like the old WTC and giving it 28 more floors.
Buses being cancelled are a result of congestion and not Translink's fault. The solution to poor public transport is more investment and less car usage.
The thing is that if you run an intensive frequency bus network, any disruption can have knock on effects for a long time after the disruption itself has cleared, as vehicles end up in the wrong place, services end up bunched together, and drivers time out
@@fundthenine yes and nir glider and metro can have a good affect on casment park if there's an ulster final or euros match glider and metro can help deal with traffic on andytown Road
Unfortunately, the YSI is a slapdash 'solution' to an artificial problem. Demolishing even more of Belfast for a giant American style motorway interchange will do little to quell traffic, whereas offering genuine alternatives on the daily commute will make a massive difference.
It’s never gonna get funding lol, even Leeds haven’t gotten a tram system, any priority is not on developing a tram system literally on a remote island in the middle of nowhere that doesn’t generate vote for any of the main political parties in Britain. Northern Ireland already cannot fund itself and requires a huge subsidy every single year. more wasted money? That’s a no for me.
@@dchui3811 Thanks for the input, but this is not an official plan, rather an example of what could be achieved with better leadership. Also, just for note, funding public services is not a 'subsidy', but rather a necessary expenditure for any nation's government.
Tbh if the British government had more money subsidising regional development would be more palatable, but with how government finances are looking atm, we really should be developing big and well connected cities (London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle etc.) that Belfast simply isn’t to maximise return on investment. When the government has more money then maybe they can think about this. Or maybe they can have the Irish government pay for it, not a British problem anyway.
@@fundthenineBut Northern Ireland is not in Britain, and with all the devolution and power sharing, that severely limits the British government’s power in NI, you might argue that it is more like a dependent territory than a national territory. It really should achieve financial self sufficiency rather than be asking Britain for money every time they want something built. I am all for the NI govt borrowing for infrastructure projects which the people of NI pay for; but completely against this idea where British taxpayers should somehow pay for projects in Northern Ireland. This completely remove any sense of financial responsibility in NI, which by the way, runs an ever larger deficit that no other country can afford to run on.
