8 February 2008

Dear Colleagues,

Congestion in Belfast and bus priority have been in the news this week.  This is an issue in many towns but in Belfast alone it costs us millions of pounds each year.
 
For every 1km/h our Metro buses slow down when caught in congestion - it costs us an extra £1million per annum.  Over the past 6 years our buses are running over 3km/h more slowly; this costs us £3.2 million each year.  That’s the same as an extra 10% on the fares or 20% more services.  This is money we should be using to increase frequency and get more people on to public transport and making the city a better place to live.
 
This is why we make a big issue of congestion and bus speeds - of course people who have to use their cars also get caught in the slower traffic.  But slower buses mean more fuel, more drivers and more vehicles as Metro keeps to a route and runs to a timetable; our buses cannot set out earlier or take a different route to avoid heavy traffic!
 
A big part of the solution is more priority for buses and their passengers.  This means faster journeys and less traffic overall – even those who have to use cars are better off.  We are working with Roads Service to deliver bus priority throughout the city as quickly as we can and get real improvement.  The schemes on the M1 and M2 hard shoulders and the Antrim Road are great examples and show what can be achieved.
 
Half a million people a week now use Metro.  Since its launch we have taken an extra 40,000 cars from Belfast’s roads every week. But, while 32% of people travelling into Belfast on the main roads are use Metro services, buses still account for only 2% of traffic.  More priority for bus passengers means less congestion for all.
 
We have secured a lot of investment in our bus and rail networks, based on our track record of success.  One of our key messages is that public transport works for everyone – it means a healthier, more sustainable and efficient city.  So congestion is a key issue for us because it makes staying on time more difficult and costs us more.

Philip O'Neill,

Acting Chief Executive

Public transport makes the city a better place to
live