Belfast late night transport: DUP MLA calls for Stormont to fund buses and trains, arguing £600k cost 'not much to ask for' out of annual £18bn budget - but Sinn Fein Minister demurs
A DUP MLA called on Stormont to fund late-night Belfast buses and trains, arguing the £600,000 cost is 'not much to ask for' out of the Executive’s annual £18bn budget.
But Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald demurred, failing to directly respond to the call either way while describing late-night transport as just one of many “areas in which we can definitely improve through working collaboratively across departments and with Belfast City Council”.
Pausing to take a swipe at the British government for post-Brexit arrangements that she thought could have an impact on people travelling up from Dublin, the Sinn Fein Minister added: “I look forward to continuing to work with all partners across the sector as we build a thriving, safe and diverse night-time economy in Belfast and across the North.”
The call came from MLA Phillip Brett, who pointed to 17,000 passengers who took late-night buses and trains laid on over the Christmas period as proof of a huge demand for those services.
“As I become older and greyer in the beard, one of the first things that I think about on a night out is how I will get home,” he said.
“[Late-night transport] offers opportunities to expand Belfast city centre's economy in the evening far beyond its seasonal peaks. It provides safety, reassurance and dependability for those wanting to enjoy the night-time economy.”
Stating that Translink has worked out running year-round late-night transport would cost around £600,000, Mr Brett added: “To support the most important sector of the night-time economy in our capital city is not much to ask for out of an annual budget for this place of £18.6bn.”