Revealed: Locations of first pop-up cycle lanes in Belfast

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon unveiled the plans following a meeting with the city council.

Details of the new pop cycle lanes are as follows:

* Dublin Road (preliminary work linking between the Alfred Street cycle lane to Dublin Road via Bankmore Street has already been undertaken) - further work will be undertaken to connect onwards to the Belfast City Hospital;

* Grosvenor Road from the Royal Victoria Hospital – this will provide a link to the existing two-way cycle lane on Durham Street and College Square North;

* Crumlin Road and Oldpark Road – cycle lanes will be added between the various sections of bus lanes and advisory cycle lanes, between Hillview Road and the Mater Hospital, to provide a more coherent route on both sides of the road. The bus lane will also be made to operate throughout the day.

Ms Mallon said: “The Covid crisis has brought unprecedented challenges and has fundamentally changed the way we live. However, there is no doubt that it has also created an opportunity for us all to take a closer look at how we travel and consider how we can do things better moving forward.

“Arrangements are being put in place over the next two weeks for a number of pop-up cycle lanes in Belfast. These are designed to improve access into the city centre and also to help key workers to continue to cycle to and from work, especially those who work in our hospitals.

“Initially these will be put in place on a trial basis with improvements to the segregation made over the following weeks.”

Belfast Lord Mayor, Frank McCoubrey said: “Connecting communities to our city centre via sustainable forms of transport is key to our joint vision for the city.

“Improving the cycling infrastructure will make it easier for people to opt for sustainable modes of transport thereby helping to tackle things like climate change, improve air quality, and improve the health and wellbeing of those in our city.”