Belfast community rally opposes Translink Boyne Bridge plans - "If they demolish that bridge, it's not in the name of Sandy Row"

Those are the words of heritage campaigner Billy Dickson, one of the main organisers of a rally in the Sandy Row area on Tuesday night.

The protest, featuring bandsmen and Lambeg drummers, drew a crowd of around 150 members of the community determined to highlight the degree of local opposition to the removal of the bridge, as well as the neglect of Sandy Row as a district in general.

Mr Dickson said: "I think the people now are very angry, and they want to put to bed once and for all any claims and belief out there about local support [for the bridge being dismantled] - it's a lot of baloney.

"They [Translink] would be very, very foolish not to accept the clear opinion and views of the Sandy Row people.

"And they would be foolish because of the serious consequences that will result in taking away the bridge and replacing it with a toucan crossing."

He said the new layout of the road will "cause injuries and deaths" and will "come back on them".

He also lamented "the abject failure of the two main unionist parties to oppose the demolition" of the bridge.

It is due to be done away with as part of Translink's overall plan for Belfast’s new Grand Central Station.

The idea is to dismantle the old railway bridge and re-lay Durham Street, which runs over the top of it, as a flat road, before building a large plaza beside the station.

The closure of the bridge has been credited with worsening traffic congestion in the city centre, and last night Mr Dickson said there is also evidence it is harming businesses in Sandy Row.

Some campaigners say it would be better to keep the bridge intact and let pedestrians walk underneath it to get between Grand Centre Station and the city centre.

They say that original bridge on the site, which spanned marshland and the River Blackwater, dated back to the 1600s, and that William of Orange crossed it on his way to the Boyne.

Translink counter that the Grand Central plans have all been well-known since 2019, when they were approved by Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure.

Said a spokesperson: “We are committed to preserving and celebrating the history and heritage of the area and continue to work closely with the local community to repurpose key elements of the bridge for significant artworks.

“Significant public realm improvements are being carried out around the new station. This is part of Belfast’s overall transformational plans to improve the streetscape environment and create more accessible, greener spaces including the new Saltwater Square.

"These works will make cycling, walking and other forms of active travel more attractive, making way for a cleaner city and a healthier society.”

An unsuccessful bid was made by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society to stop the removal of the bridge via the courts last month, with a judge declining to put a stop order on any work.