Car ban proposals outside university campus dropped

Plans to ban cars from a busy street outside Ulster University's Belfast campus have been dropped.

All vehicles except buses, bicycles and those holding blue badges were to be prevented from using part of York Street under the proposals.

Student leaders have expressed disappointment over the decision, saying that "safety is a real concern" due to high volumes of traffic.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said that following a public consultation it determined the plan "would not achieve the best outcomes for the local community".

The proposals for the section of York Street between Donegall Street and Great Patrick Street were unveiled in 2022 when DfI launched a public consultation.

It was to be introduced as an "experimental traffic control scheme" for an initial six months.

The plan was announced shortly before Ulster University opened its new Belfast campus.

The £370m redevelopment brought around 15,000 students and staff into the city centre as facilities were relocated from Jordanstown.

But concerns had been raised about busy roads around the campus, with York Street connecting motorists to the Westlink, M2 and M3.

Emily Roberts, president of Ulster University Students' Union, said that "safety is a real concern".

"We are disappointed to see this proposal dropped. Students have raised concerns with us about the challenges of navigating the York Street area," she said.

"The volume and speed of traffic can make crossing roads difficult, particularly during peak hours."

She said a more "pedestrian-friendly" York Street would also encourage "healthier, more environmentally friendly travel, such as cycling and public transport use".

Ben Friel, president of NUS-USI (National Union of Students and Union of Students in Ireland), said the area had seen a "substantial growth in student accommodation".

"If we want to continue attracting students to this area, ensuring they feel safe must be a fundamental priority," he added.

North Belfast councillor Carl Whyte, of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), accused DfI of a "congestion-as-usual approach".

He said the proposal would have "transformed the area" and allowed people to "enjoy car-free surroundings like people in cities and towns across Europe".

The Stormont department's public consultation on the proposals in 2022 received 19 responses.

There were 14 objections, three indicating support, one neutral response and an objection outside of the response timeframe, according to a Freedom of Information response.

Ulster University said it had "engaged in detail on this consultation on multiple occasions".

"This has been in relation to staff and student safety, accessibility and in support of the department's stated goals of active travel, sustainability and health promotion," a spokeswoman said.

"The university remains open to engaging with DfI on this matter."

DfI said the department "took the decision not to proceed with the experimental scheme".

A spokeswoman said "on-site observations" showed that traffic "continued to flow well following the opening of the campus".

"It is the department's view that the initial proposal would not achieve the best outcomes for the local community and that future enhancements to the York Street area will be considered within the emerging Eastern Transport Plan which will be published for public consultation in the coming weeks."

The department said the York Street area would "continue to be reviewed going forward".