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Concern for multiple road work near the Grand Central Station

Concern for multiple road work near the Grand Central Station

BBC The front of the Grand Central Station in Belfast, a large glass building with a large white entry sign. There is a new bed with closed flowers behind the exterior wall of the station. BBC

The traffic congested in peak periods around the Grand Central Station in Belfast has increased, since it was opened last year

Other road works outside the Grand Central Station in Belfast will worsen a difficult situation, a member of the Belfast Assembly has warned.

There will be closures of the band on Grosvenor Road for a month starting on Tuesday, the road being completely closed in the first two Sundays in April.

The closures are to facilitate the underground cable works at the Grosvenor Road and Durham Street, as part of the in progress of the streets outside the station.

Edwin Poots, a member of the Assembly, said that the situation for enterprises that operate near the station is abyssal, and these road works aggravated their problems.

Southern MLA Belfast told BBC News Ni that he wants a rethink of the entire traffic management plan outside the station, saying that the current situation does not work.

The underground cable is made by Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) on behalf of Translink, which owns the bus and integrated train station.

Both companies have described the road work, which will continue every day until April 19, as “essential” and said they will work to minimize disturbance.

What happens to traffic?

The intersection between Grosvenor Road and Durham Street in Belfast. There are traffic cones that close a band of the Grosvenor Road and a "Road Closed" Sign at the entrance to Durham Street. The pedestrians cross the roads, and the traffic is in line at traffic lights.

Grosvenor Road was reduced to a band in every direction Tuesday morning while Durham Street stays completely closed

Grosvenor Road was reduced to two lanes throughout the work, a city related to the city and a country.

There will be additional closures on Sunday, with the completely closed road in both directions from 06:00 to 15:00 BST Sunday 6 and Sunday 13 April.

This is to facilitate the elimination of an underground cable on Durham Street and the modernization of existing underground cables on the Grosvenor Road.

Translink said he works in collaboration with Nie Networks “to minimize any disturbance” and to ensure access to local enterprises.

But he also warned the public to “leave for their travels for a long time” and urged him to reduce the congesting by walking, by bicycle or taking public transport.

Nie Networks said: “While we recognize the disturbance caused, this work is part of a significant investment in the Belfast area, increasing the reliability and capacity of the electricity network and ensuring that a zero net future can facilitate.”

He added that his staff, and the contractors would have “worked continuously during this period, including on the weekend and the extension of the working days to ensure that the disturbance is kept at a minimum”.

Temporary bridge call

Liam McBurney/Pa wire an aerial view of the Grand Central Station in Belfast and Boyne Bridge at Durham Steet. There are road works on and under the bridge, which is in the process of being disassembled. The central station is a large building with glass glass, with inclined roofs.Liam McBurney/Pa wire

The Boyne Bridge on Durham Street is disassembled to facilitate changes in the street landscape around the Grand Central Station in Belfast

Ever since the Grand Central Station has been opened in September, car and local businesses have complained that it has added the congestion of traffic in the area.

Durham Street, which includes Boyne Bridge, was closed from October to facilitate the disassembly of the bridge.

Traders based in Sandy Row joined have claimed that there was a dramatic decrease in their street from the beginning of the bridge.

A Financing scheme of 200,000 pounds to support affected companies Sandy Row It was announced by the Minister of Communities, Gordon Lyons last month.

Edwin Poots, his Democratic Unionist party colleague (DUP), who represents the South Belfast, claimed that traders are damaged by “unnecessary congestion”.

He wants Translink and the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) to rethink the closing of roads, saying that he challenges “claims that traffic management plans work”.

Poots said that the disturbance did not only affect the business leg around the station, but also disturbed the health staff who have to travel to nearby hospitals.

He told BBC News Ni that a temporary bridge should have been made available before the work begins to dismantle Boyne.

Poots also claimed that a new bus band on Bruce street was “empty most of the time”, but caused the shuttle traffic to return to Great Victoria Street.

Translink and DFI were contacted for comments.